Trust Repair in the Organizations: Interaction of Role Conflict and Positive Emotions

Abstract

This study investigates how the emotional dimensions of customer service employees influence the erosion of organizational trust, especially when those employees experience role conflict in shifting industry conditions. An online survey was conducted with 319 customer service employees across the USA. The results reveal that when customer service employees perceive role conflict, their trust in their employer tends to decrease. Additionally, emotional factors — namely self-monitoring and surface acting — serve to buffer or restore this declining trust. In demanding, competitive work environments, constructive emotional behaviours can help customer service employees navigate stress more effectively. Ultimately, employees who demonstrate strong emotional competence contribute to a more cohesive and principled workplace while strengthening the organization's competitive edge by efficiently executing its strategies.

Keywords: Role Conflict, Trust, Self-monitoring, Emotional Strategies, Customer Service Employees

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007929