Title:
Emotional Labor Strategies and Job Retention: Moderating Role of Resilience Among Restaurant Frontline Employees in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Authors:
Caroline Kanini, Dr Duncan Shirandula, Dr John Kahuthu, Kenya

Abstract:

This study assessed the connection between emotional labor strategies and job retention in classified restaurants in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The moderating variable was employee resilience. The investigation was supported by the theories of Conservation of Resources and Affective Events. An embedded mixed-methods research design was used. 790 waiters and waitresses working in classified restaurants formed the target population. Frontline employees were chosen by convenience sampling, while restaurant managers were purposively chosen for interviews. Of the 39 restaurant managers, 1 manager was used for pretesting and 38 were eligible for the main study; 17 managers were interviewed until data saturation was reached. Of the 266 questionnaires allocated, 6 were used for pretesting and 260 were distributed for the main study; 246 were returned and 240 valid questionnaires were analysed. Quantitative data were collected through a structured questionnaire, while qualitative insights were obtained through semi-structured interviews with restaurant managers. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression and hierarchical regression, whereas qualitative data were analysed thematically. The results showed that surface acting had a significant negative relationship with job (B = -0.197, β = -0.133, p = .016), while deep acting had a significant positive relationship (B = 0.332, β = 0.181, p = .001). Automatic emotional regulation had the strongest positive relationship with job retention (B = 0.462, β = 0.445, p < .001). The three emotional labor strategies jointly explained 33.3% of the variation in job retention (R = .577, R² = .333, adjusted R² = .325). Employee resilience had a significant positive direct relationship with job retention (B = 0.913, β = 0.421, p < .001). Resilience weakened the negative relationship between surface acting and job retention (B = 0.130, β = 0.440, p = .008) and strengthened the positive relationship between deep acting and job retention (B = 0.087, β = 0.096, p = .044). However, resilience did not significantly moderate the relationship between automatic emotional regulation and job retention (B = 0.041, β = 0.040, p = .374). The qualitative findings supported the statistical results by showing that surface acting contributed to emotional strain and withdrawal, whereas genuine emotional engagement, natural emotional control, supportive leadership and resilient coping encouraged employees to remain.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.51505/ijaemr.2026.11408