How psychological contract breach relates to façades of conformity: The mediating role of emotional labour

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between psychological contract breach (PCB) and façades of conformity and mediation by surface acting and deep acting. Employees (n = 255) from a large bank in Taiwan were surveyed (female = 58.80%; mean age = 36.30 years, SD = 10. 91 years; mean years of service = 8.80 years, SD = 6.18 years) in three waves of data collection over a period of three months. Results from Structure Equation Modelling (SEM) analyses indicated that self-reported PCB was associated with higher levels of façades of conformity(or fake conformity). The findings indicated that surface acting significantly mediated the relationship between PCB and façades of conformity. In contrast, deep acting did not mediate this relationship. The findings align with Affective Events Theory (AET), which emphasises processes, focusing on employees’ actions following emotional reactions in the workplace, and centres entirely on the process of personal judgment. This study suggested that the experience of PCB may lead to surface acting for job security, resulting in façades of conformity. Employees perceived PCB as implicit, which was consistent with their perception of organisational affective events.