Antecedents and Consequences of Emotional Exhaustion in the Airline Reservations Service Sector

Abstract

The present study investigated several potential antecedents and consequences of emotional exhaustion in a sample (N = 859) of computer-monitored telephone reservation agents. The agents performed their tasks in an environment characterized by tight managerial control and relatively little decision-making latitude. The results of regression analyses indicated that job satisfaction, job-related tension, age, and tenure on the job were each uniquely associated with reports of exhaustion. Exhaustion was, in turn, significantly related to intentions to leave, absenteeism, and actual job change. Supplemental causal modeling of the data using LISREL VI suggested that the implied causal linkages between emotional exhaustion and these outcomes provided a reasonable, albeit imprecise representation of the data.