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Resumen El trabajo emocional es un proceso multidimensional que adquiere relevancia debido a su creciente prevalencia y las serias consecuencias que tiene para trabajadores y organizaciones. La presente investigación busca describir las experiencias de trabajo emocional en trabajadores pertenecientes a centros de negocios que asesoran a emprendimientos y microempresas chilenas, cómo estas afectan su trabajo y las estrategias adoptadas para gestionarlo. Para esto, se organizaron cuatro grupos focales en cuatro centros de negocios con financiamiento público. Los análisis revelaron que el trabajo de los asesores/as requiere demandas de apoyo y contención emocional que están por fuera de su rol y competencias profesionales, lo cual tiene consecuencias negativas para su trabajo y su salud mental. Estas exigencias les hicieron desplegar una serie de estrategias individuales y grupales para disminuir los efectos negativos del trabajo emocional. Dentro de las estrategias individuales se observaron: establecer límites con los clientes, regular expectativas sobre las asesorías, desarrollar un endurecimiento emocional, practicar el autocuidado a través de la autoexploración emocional y, en algunos casos, buscar ayuda profesional de psicólogos/as. Como estrategia grupal, se observó el apoyo y la contención de los miembros de los equipos, los cuales, a su vez, facilitaban la derivación de clientes con situaciones complejas a asesores/as con más experiencia. Estos resultados muestran el carácter invisibilizado del trabajo emocional en la asesoría de negocios a emprendimientos y microempresas, como también la importancia de reconocerlo y gestionarlo como parte de los riesgos laborales para prevenir sus efectos en trabajadores y en las organizaciones.

Abstract Emotional labor is a multidimensional concept that includes the interactions between emotional requirements of the jobs, how emotions are expressed and the regulation strategies that it entails. In the last decades it has increased its importance due to its rising prevalence and its severe consequences for employee's health and organizational performance. Within this context, the present study seeks to address the different components of emotional labor and its effects on business consulting advisors for Chilean entrepreneurs and microenterprises, working in public-funded small business development centers. In doing so, four focus groups were carried out in four small business development centers located in Santiago of Chile. Analyses revealed that mentoring entrepreneurs and micro-enterprises is more complex than it appears, showing that advisors must provide support and comfort to their clients to succeed in their job goals. These demands go beyond their work role and exceed their competencies, which negatively impacts job performance and mental health of business advisors. In order to cope with the job demands, business advisors display several individual and collective strategies. As part of the individual strategies, the following was found: establishing boundaries with clients, regulating clients' expectations of the mentoring sessions, developing "emotional hardening", practicing self-care throughout emotional self-exploration, and in some cases, looking for psychological counseling. Interestingly, the term "emotional hardening" matches the definition of the superficial strategy formulated by Alicia Grandey, in which employees simulate or perform the emotion required by a job without changing their inner selves. Vast evidence has demonstrated that the use of this strategy is associated with serious health consequences for employees, therefore, this finding may be considered as a warning sign for the small business development centers. As a collective strategy, business advisors rely on their work teams. Specifically, advisors look for support and comfort from their co-workers and when confronted with complex clients the team referrers them to more experienced advisors. In addition, analyses showed other aspects that hinder the work of business advisors, such as the high amount and diversity of job tasks that are asked from business advisors, combined with several deadlines coming from government institutions and the centers. Furthermore, woman business advisors expressed they face more obstacles at work compared to their male co-workers, most of these obstacles are related to a gender-based discrimination coming from some clients, who doubt their expertise and competences as female advisors, and prefer to deal with male advisors. Overall, results aligned with the literature on emotional labor, showing that emotional labor is characterized by being a secondary and veiled issue in mentoring entrepreneurs and micro-enterprises. Furthermore, using the strategies revealed that emotional labor involves visible processes but also intrapsychic processes that led to a decrease in employees' resources and energy. Considering the effects of emotion labor in the context of business advisory, our results may help to strengthen the main Chilean strategy, and a well-known international program, to promote the development of entrepreneurs and microenterprises. This is even more relevant in the context of the social and employment crisis that Chile and most of the countries undergo, where entrepreneurship (formal and informal) has emerged as the main alternative to cope with unemployment. In conclusion, despite the long tradition of research on emotional labor and its serious consequences, it remains an invisible and secondary process within organizations. This research highlights the importance of identifying and managing emotions as a nuclear part of the job of business consulting advisors for Chilean entrepreneurs and microenterprises.

RESUMEN

O estudo objetivou avaliar o valor preditivo das estratégias de regulação emocional na percepção de trabalho emocional dos atendentes propondo-se que reavaliação é mais utilizada do que supressão (H1), reavaliação prediz o uso de ação profunda (H2), supressão prediz o uso de ação superficial (H3) e emoções genuínas são menos utilizadas do que ação superficial e ação profunda (H4). 260 participantes responderam ao questionário de regulação emocional e à escala de trabalho emocional. Para testar as hipóteses foi usado o teste t de medidas pareadas. As hipóteses H2 e H3 foram avaliadas com a análise de regressão linear. Houve prevalência de uso da reavaliação e de emoções genuínas, corroborando a H1 e refutando a H4. Reavaliação prediz o uso de ação profunda, confirmando H2. Supressão não prediz a ação superficial, refutando H3. Conclui-se que os participantes baseiam seu trabalho emocional no uso mais adaptativo de ação profunda. Também utilizam emoções espontâneas, sinalizando haver uma convergência entre o que se sente e o que se espera da atuação profissional.

The study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of emotional regulation strategies on the perception of emotional work of attendants proposing that reappraisal is more used than suppression (H1), reappraisal predicts the use of deep action (H2), suppression predicts the use of superficial action (H3) and genuine emotions are less used than superficial action and deep action (H4). 260 participants responded to the questionnaire of emotional regulation and emotional labor scale. To test the hypothesis we used the t test paired measurements. The hypotheses H2 and H3 were evaluated by linear regression analysis. The prevalence of use of reappraisal and genuine emotions, corroborating the H1 and H4 refuting. Reappraisal predicts the use of deep action, confirming H2. Suppression does not predict the surface action, refuting H3. We conclude that participants base their emotional work in the adaptive use of deep action. They also use spontaneous emotions, signaling there is a convergence between what you feel and what is expected of professional practice.

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Emotional labor is a worker's effort in regulating his or her emotions in an attempt to express socially desired emotions within the sphere of his or her profession. This study analyzed the adequacy of the original factor model of the Emotional Labor Scale (ELS) proposed by Brotheridge and Lee (2003), which assesses the duration, the frequency, the intensity, the variability, the depth and the superficiality of emotions in the workplace. The study comprised a sample of 518 psychologists from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Data was subjected to Confirmatory Factor Analysis, showing that the best fit indices were found in the distribution of four factors: frequency, intensity, variability and emotion regulation. Regarding reliability, satisfactory indices were found, ranging from .67 to .84. Thus, the instrument is suitable for the assessment of emotional labor, allowing subsidizing promotion and prevention interventions for emotional management.(AU)

O trabalho emocional diz respeito ao esforço do trabalhador em regular suas emoções na tentativa de expressar emoções socialmente desejadas no âmbito da sua profissão. Este artigo analisou a adequação do modelo fatorial original da Escala de Emoções no Trabalho (ETE) proposta por Brotheridge e Lee (2003), que avalia a duração, a frequência, a intensidade, a variabilidade, a profundidade e a superficialidade das emoções no contexto de trabalho. Participaram do estudo 518 psicólogos do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Foi realizada Análise Fatorial Confirmatória, a qual demonstrou que os melhores índices de ajustamento foram encontrados na distribuição em quatro fatores: frequência, intensidade, variabilidade e regulação emocional. Quanto à fidedignidade, foram encontrados índices satisfatórios, variando de 0,67 a 0,84. Assim, o instrumento é indicado para a avaliação do trabalho emocional, permitindo subsidiar intervenções de promoção e prevenção da gestão emocional.(AU)

El trabajo emocional se refiere al esfuerzo del trab ajador en regular sus emociones en lo intento de expresar emociones socialmente deseadas en el ámbito de su profesión. Este artículo analizó la adecuación del modelo factorial original de la Escala de Emociones en el Trabajo (EET) propuesta por Brotheridge y Lee (2003), que evalúa la duración, la frecuencia, la intensidad, la variabilidad, la profundidad y la superficialidad de las emociones en el contexto de trabajo. Participaron del estudio 518 psicólogos del estado del Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Fue realizada Análisis Factorial Confirmatoria, la cual demostró que los mejores índices de ajustamiento fueron encontrados en la distribución en cuatro factores: frecuencia, intensidad, variabilidad y regulación emocional. Cuanto a la fiabilidad, fueron encontrados índices satisfactorios, variando de .67 a .84. Así, el instrumento es indicado para la evaluación del trabajo emocional, permitiendo subsidiar intervenciones de promoción y prevención de la gestión emocional.(AU)

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RESUMEN

Emotional labor is a worker's effort in regulating his or her emotions in an attempt to express socially desired emotions within the sphere of his or her profession. This study analyzed the adequacy of the original factor model of the Emotional Labor Scale (ELS) proposed by Brotheridge and Lee (2003), which assesses the duration, the frequency, the intensity, the variability, the depth and the superficiality of emotions in the workplace. The study comprised a sample of 518 psychologists from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Data was subjected to Confirmatory Factor Analysis, showing that the best fit indices were found in the distribution of four factors: frequency, intensity, variability and emotion regulation. Regarding reliability, satisfactory indices were found, ranging from .67 to .84. Thus, the instrument is suitable for the assessment of emotional labor, allowing subsidizing promotion and prevention interventions for emotional management.

O trabalho emocional diz respeito ao esforço do trabalhador em regular suas emoções na tentativa de expressar emoções socialmente desejadas no âmbito da sua profissão. Este artigo analisou a adequação do modelo fatorial original da Escala de Emoções no Trabalho (ETE) proposta por Brotheridge e Lee (2003), que avalia a duração, a frequência, a intensidade, a variabilidade, a profundidade e a superficialidade das emoções no contexto de trabalho. Participaram do estudo 518 psicólogos do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Foi realizada Análise Fatorial Confirmatória, a qual demonstrou que os melhores índices de ajustamento foram encontrados na distribuição em quatro fatores: frequência, intensidade, variabilidade e regulação emocional. Quanto à fidedignidade, foram encontrados índices satisfatórios, variando de 0,67 a 0,84. Assim, o instrumento é indicado para a avaliação do trabalho emocional, permitindo subsidiar intervenções de promoção e prevenção da gestão emocional.

El trabajo emocional se refiere al esfuerzo del trab ajador en regular sus emociones en lo intento de expresar emociones socialmente deseadas en el ámbito de su profesión. Este artículo analizó la adecuación del modelo factorial original de la Escala de Emociones en el Trabajo (EET) propuesta por Brotheridge y Lee (2003), que evalúa la duración, la frecuencia, la intensidad, la variabilidad, la profundidad y la superficialidad de las emociones en el contexto de trabajo. Participaron del estudio 518 psicólogos del estado del Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Fue realizada Análisis Factorial Confirmatoria, la cual demostró que los mejores índices de ajustamiento fueron encontrados en la distribución en cuatro factores: frecuencia, intensidad, variabilidad y regulación emocional. Cuanto a la fiabilidad, fueron encontrados índices satisfactorios, variando de .67 a .84. Así, el instrumento es indicado para la evaluación del trabajo emocional, permitiendo subsidiar intervenciones de promoción y prevención de la gestión emocional.

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A representação do câncer tende a ser negativa pela ansiedade, medo, dor, perda e incerteza do diagnóstico, tratamento e acompanhamento. Os hospitais oncológicos têm características particulares em termos dos estados emocionais gerados, afetando profissionais de saúde, pacientes e familiares. Os objetivos foram compreender as percepções individuais, as representações mentais e os atributos relacionados à gestão de emoções no trabalho. Utilizando metodologia qualitativa, seis profissionais de saúde de três grupos profissionais do Instituto Português de Oncologia de Coimbra Francisco Gentil, situado em Coimbra, Portugal, foram entrevistados em 2008, com aplicação da técnica de análise de conteúdo. Os resultados mostram que elevar o nível de consciência sobre os estados emocionais, combinado com suporte de qualidade e desenvolvimento de atividades apropriadas podem contribuir para o bem-estar e a qualidade de vida dos cuidadores. Conclui-se que os resultados podem subsidiar a implementação de soluções para apoiar a regulação emocional dos profissionais de saúde.

Representations of cancer tend to be negative because of anxiety, fear, pain and loss, and the uncertainty of diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Cancer hospitals have particular characteristics in terms of emotional states generated there, which affect the health professionals, patients and relatives who interact in them. The study objectives were to understand individual perceptions, mental representations and attributes relating to management of emotions at work. Using a qualitative methodology, six health care professionals from three professional groups at the Francisco Gentil Portuguese Institute of Oncology, in Coimbra, Portugal, were interviewed in 2008, and content analysis echnique was applied. The results show that raising levels of awareness about emotional states, combined with quality support and appropriate activities, can contribute to caregivers’ well-being and quality of life. It was concluded thatthe results can inform the implementation of solutions to support health professionals emotional self-regulation.

La representación del cáncer tiende a ser negativa debido a la ansiedad, miedo, dolor, pérdida y incertidumbre del diagnóstico, tratamiento y seguimiento. Hospitales de cáncer tienen características particulares en términos de los estados emocionales generados, afectando profesionales de salud, pacientes y familiares. Los objetivos fueron conocer las percepciones individuales, las representaciones mentales y los atributos relacionados con la gestión de las emociones en el trabajo. Utilizando una metodología cualitativa, seis profesionales de la salud de tres grupos profesionales del Instituto Português de Oncologia de Coimbra Francisco Gentil, situado em Coimbra, Portugal, fueron entrevistados em 2008 con la aplicación de la técnica de análisis de contenido. Los resultados muestran que el aumento del nivel de conciencia de los estados emocionales, combinado con el apoyo de calidad y el desarrollo de actividades apropiadas pueden contribuir para el bienestar y la calidad de vida de los cuidadores. Se concluye que los resultados pueden subsidiar la implementación de soluciones para apoyar la regulación emocional de los profesionales de salud.

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This study assessed the extent to which two kinds of emotional labor (surface and deep acting) can lead to emotional exhaustion, reducing one's overall life satisfaction. Based on Self-Determination theory, the importance of perceived autonomy was also studied in relation to how it moderates the relationship between emotional labor and emotional exhaustion. Data collected online from 241 staff employed at a university in central United States revealed that the relationship between surface acting and emotional exhaustion was stronger among people with lower perception of autonomy, which had an impact on overall life satisfaction. No significant relationship between deep acting and emotional exhaustion was found. Future directions should include studying the model on other samples and using a longitudinal design.

Este estudio evaluó el grado en el cual dos clases de labores emocionales (acción profunda y superficial) pueden conducir a la exhaustividad emocional, reduciendo en general la satisfacción de vida. Basados en la teoría de la Auto-Determinación, la importancia de la autonomía percibida puede ser estudiada en relación a cómo es moderada la relación entre labor emocional y exhaustividad emocional. Los datos se recogieron via web desde 241 empleados en una universidad en la zona centro de Estados Unidos y revelaron que la relación entre acción superficial y exhaustividad emocional fue más fuente entre personas con bajos niveles de percepción de autonomía, la cual podría tener un impacto sobre la satisfacción de vida. No se encontraron relaciones significativas entre las acciones profundas y la exhaustividad emocional. Futuras investigaciones deberían incluir en el estudio del modelo utilizar otras muestras y utilizar un diseño longitudinal.

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El objetivo de la presente investigación fue adaptar y validar el cuestionarioTrabajo Emocional (TREMO) realizado por Moreno-Jiménez, Gálvez y Garrosa (Moreno-Jimenez et al. 2004) en su versión corta de 20 ítems. Este constructo se relaciona con la carga emocional, la valencia y la variedad de la misma, así como su relación con las características del puesto de trabajo y con aspectos organizacionales como la cultura organizacional. Se aplicó el cuestionario en un grupo de trabajadores de la salud (N = 182) obteniéndose valores de fiabilidad adecuados; se sometió a un análisis factorial y se obtuvo 5 factores que explican el 56.97 por ciento total de la varianza. Los resultados confirman las dimensiones de la escala original. Es importante resaltar que es la primera aproximación al estudio de este constructo en una población trabajadora venezolana.

The objective of this investigation was to adapt and validate the EmotionalLabor (TREMO) questionnaire made by Moreno-Jiménez, Gálvez y Garrosa (Moreno-Jiménez, et al. 2004) in their short version of 20 items. This construct is related to the emotional load, its valence and variety as well as its relation with the characteristics of the job and with organizational aspects such as the organizational culture. The questionnaire was applied to a group of health professionals (N= 182), from which appropriate reliability values were obtained. They were subjected to a factorial analysis, obtaining 5 factors that explain the 56.97 percent of the total variance. The results confirm the dimensions of the original scale. It is important to highlight that this is the first approach to the study of this construct in a workers population in Venezuela.

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