The interaction effect of emotional intelligence and emotional labour on job satisfaction: A test of Holland's classification of occupations

Although emotional intelligence has been a popular concept in the media, there has been little scientifically rigorous studies designed to examine its roles in the workplace. Following the exploratory evidence provided by a recent study, this study replicated the finding that emotional intelligence and the nature of job requirement (i.e., emotional labor) would have interacting effect on job satisfaction. Using a sample of 307 respondents from six different jobs, this interaction effect was confirmed. Furthermore, this study argued that the nature of job requirement could be estimated from Holland’s occupational model. Results indicated that the role of emotional intelligence was different across occupations. Implications for future research were discussed.