Emotional Labor and Flourishing Achievement Process Of Personal Trainer
Keywords:
Emotional Labor, Flourishing, Personal Trainer
Abstract
The modern fitness industry demands personal trainers (PTs) to not only manage clients' physical performance but also navigate an intensive workload of emotional labor. This qualitative study aims to explore in-depth how PTs construct their experiences of emotional labor in relation to achieving flourishing (positive mental health). Employing a qualitative approach with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), this study involved three PTs (two males and one female) at a modern fitness center in Yogyakarta, selected via purposive sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed using the six idiographic steps of IPA. The findings unraveled a psychological paradox: the demands of emotional labor do not linearly trigger burnout, but rather act as a catalyst for achieving flourishing. The key to this transformation lies in the shift of emotion regulation strategies from surface acting to authentic deep acting via cognitive reappraisal. Once positive emotions and genuine empathy are internalized, work activities are transformed into a source of meaningful work. Furthermore, the gender dimension modifies the form of emotion regulation; the female PT applied protective emotional regulation to negotiate rigid interpersonal boundaries, whereas male PTs managed motivational energy to maintain client-professional ego. These findings empirically support the theoretical model of reciprocal flourishing, wherein positive mental health is achieved through mutually growth-enhancing interpersonal relationships.
References
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Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2017). Job demands-resources theory: Taking stock and looking forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), 273-285. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056
Brotheridge, C. M., & Grandey, A. A. (2002). Emotional labor and burnout: Comparing two perspectives of “injury”. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 60(1), 17-39. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.2001.1815
Diehl, M., Hay, E. L., & Chui, H. (2012). Personal growth and flourishing in adulthood: Positive development in the face of challenges. Journal of Personality, 80(6), 1735-1763. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2012.00782.x
Diefendorff, J. M., Croyle, M. H., & Gosserand, R. H. (2005). The dimensionality and antecedents of emotional labor strategies. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 66(2), 339-357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2004.02.001
Erickson, R. J., & Wharton, A. S. (1997). Inauthenticity and depression: Assessing the consequences of emotional labor. Work and Occupations, 24(2), 188-213. https://doi.org/10.1117/0730888497024002004
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218-226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218
Glomb, T. M., & Tews, M. J. (2004). Emotional labor: A conceptualization and scale development. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 64(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-8791(03)00038-1
Grandey, A. A. (2000). Emotion regulation in the workplace: A new way to conceptualize emotional labor. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5(1), 95-110. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-8998.5.1.95
Grandey, A. A. (2003). When “the show must go on”: Surface acting and deep acting as determinants of emotional exhaustion and peer-rated service delivery. Academy of Management Journal, 46(1), 86-96. https://doi.org/10.5465/30040678
Grandey, A. A., & Melloy, R. C. (2017). The author’s response: Emotional labor is a useful construct for organizational psychology. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 10(2), 271-279. https://doi.org/10.1017/iop.2017.18
Hochschild, A. R. (1983). The managed heart: Commercialization of human feeling. University of California Press.
Hülsheger, U. R., & Schewe, A. F. (2011). On the costs and benefits of emotional labor: A meta-analysis of surface acting and deep acting. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 16(3), 361-389. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022876
Huppert, F. A., & So, T. T. (2013). Flourishing across Europe: Application of a new conceptual framework for defining well-being. Social Indicators Research, 110(3), 837-861. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9966-7
Jeung, D. Y., Kim, C., & Chang, S. J. (2018). Emotional labor and burnout: A review of the literature. Yonsei Medical Journal, 59(2), 187-193. https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2018.59.2.187
Kammeyer-Mueller, J. D., Rubenstein, A. L., Long, D. M., Postlethwaite, B. E., Fiore, S. A., Prescott, J. E., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2013). A meta-analytic structural model of dispositional affectivity and emotional labor. Personnel Psychology, 66(1), 47-90. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12009
Keyes, C. L. (2002). The mental health continuum: From languishing to flourishing in life. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 43(2), 207-222. https://doi.org/10.2307/3090197
Keyes, C. L. (2007). Promoting and protecting mental health as flourishing: A more complete philosophy of mental health. American Psychologist, 62(2), 95-108. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.62.2.95
Kruml, S. M., & Geddes, D. (2000). Exploring the dimensions of emotional labor: The interplay of facial expression and cybernetic control. Journal of Management Inquiry, 9(1), 8-24. https://doi.org/10.1177/105649260091002
Larson, E., & Maxcy, B. (2019). The somatic and emotional labor of personal trainers. Sociology of Sport Journal, 36(3), 221-230. https://doi.org/10.1123/ssj.2018-0113
Lee, J., & Chelladurai, P. (2018). Affective characteristics and emotional labor of fitness personal trainers. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 19(2), 154-171. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-05-2016-0021
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications.
Mesmer-Magnus, J. R., DeChurch, L. A., & Wax, A. (2012). Moving emotional labor beyond surface and deep acting: A brand new look at corporate culture. Human Resource Management Review, 22(1), 6-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2011.08.001
Pujasari, A., & Herani, I. (2022). Regulasi emosi dan emotional labor pada instruktur kebugaran wanita. Jurnal Psikologi Teoretis dan Terapan, 13(1), 45-58. https://doi.org/10.26740/jptt.v13n1.p45-58
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2001). On happiness and human potentials: A review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Annual Review of Psychology, 52(1), 141-166. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.141
Seligman, M. E. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Free Press.
Simpson, R. (2009). Men in non-traditional occupations: Care and professionalism in the fitness industry. Gender, Work & Organization, 16(1), 4-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0432.2008.00431.x
Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research. SAGE Publications.
Smith, J. A. (2011). Evaluating the contribution of interpretative phenomenological analysis. Health Psychology Review, 5(1), 9-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2010.510659
Surya, R., & Wulan, R. (2024). Analisis kualitatif emosional pekerja jasa kebugaran urban di Indonesia. Jurnal Psikologi Sosial, 22(2), 112-124. https://doi.org/10.7454/jps.v22i2.1102
Toniolo-Barrios, M., & Pitt, L. (2021). Mindfulness and the challenges of working from home in times of crisis. Business Horizons, 64(2), 189-197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2020.09.004
Van Beek, I., Taris, T. W., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2011). Workaholic, engaged, or burned out? The role of job characteristics and intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation. Work & Stress, 25(3), 258-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2011.617551
VanderWeele, T. J. (2017). On the promotion of human flourishing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(31), 8148-8156. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1702996114
Wharton, A. S. (2009). The sociology of emotional labor. Annual Review of Sociology, 35(1), 147-165. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-115930
Widiantoro, F. W. (2026). Psikologi Flourishing: Dinamika Kesehatan Mental Positif. Deepublish.
Widiastuti, M., & Handayani, S. (2023). Pengalaman kualitatif kesehatan mental instruktur olahraga pasca-pandemi. Jurnal Intervensi Psikologi, 15(1), 12-27. https://doi.org/10.20885/jip.vol15.iss1.art2
Wingerden, J. V., & Poell, R. F. (2017). Meaningful work and resilience among human service professionals: The mediating role of flourishing. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01542
Yagil, D. (2008). When the customer is wrong: A review of research on customer misconduct and its effect on service employees. Journal of Relationship Marketing, 7(2), 123-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332660802262444
Yardley, L. (2000). Dilemmas in conducting and evaluating qualitative research. Psychology & Health, 15(2), 215-228. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870440008400302
Zapf, D. (2002). Emotion work and psychological well-being: A review of the literature and some conceptual considerations. Human Resource Management Review, 12(2), 237-268. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1053-4822(02)00048-7
Zito, M., Cortese, C. G., & Colombo, L. (2016). Nurses’ emotional labor: A relationship with team identity and flourishing. Journal of Nursing Management, 24(7), 915-923. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12402
Ashforth, B. E., & Humphrey, R. H. (1993). Emotional labor in service roles: The influence of identity. Academy of Management Review, 18(1), 88-115. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1993.3997508
Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2017). Job demands-resources theory: Taking stock and looking forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), 273-285. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056
Brotheridge, C. M., & Grandey, A. A. (2002). Emotional labor and burnout: Comparing two perspectives of “injury”. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 60(1), 17-39. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.2001.1815
Diehl, M., Hay, E. L., & Chui, H. (2012). Personal growth and flourishing in adulthood: Positive development in the face of challenges. Journal of Personality, 80(6), 1735-1763. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2012.00782.x
Diefendorff, J. M., Croyle, M. H., & Gosserand, R. H. (2005). The dimensionality and antecedents of emotional labor strategies. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 66(2), 339-357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2004.02.001
Erickson, R. J., & Wharton, A. S. (1997). Inauthenticity and depression: Assessing the consequences of emotional labor. Work and Occupations, 24(2), 188-213. https://doi.org/10.1117/0730888497024002004
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218-226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218
Glomb, T. M., & Tews, M. J. (2004). Emotional labor: A conceptualization and scale development. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 64(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-8791(03)00038-1
Grandey, A. A. (2000). Emotion regulation in the workplace: A new way to conceptualize emotional labor. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5(1), 95-110. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-8998.5.1.95
Grandey, A. A. (2003). When “the show must go on”: Surface acting and deep acting as determinants of emotional exhaustion and peer-rated service delivery. Academy of Management Journal, 46(1), 86-96. https://doi.org/10.5465/30040678
Grandey, A. A., & Melloy, R. C. (2017). The author’s response: Emotional labor is a useful construct for organizational psychology. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 10(2), 271-279. https://doi.org/10.1017/iop.2017.18
Hochschild, A. R. (1983). The managed heart: Commercialization of human feeling. University of California Press.
Hülsheger, U. R., & Schewe, A. F. (2011). On the costs and benefits of emotional labor: A meta-analysis of surface acting and deep acting. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 16(3), 361-389. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022876
Huppert, F. A., & So, T. T. (2013). Flourishing across Europe: Application of a new conceptual framework for defining well-being. Social Indicators Research, 110(3), 837-861. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9966-7
Jeung, D. Y., Kim, C., & Chang, S. J. (2018). Emotional labor and burnout: A review of the literature. Yonsei Medical Journal, 59(2), 187-193. https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2018.59.2.187
Kammeyer-Mueller, J. D., Rubenstein, A. L., Long, D. M., Postlethwaite, B. E., Fiore, S. A., Prescott, J. E., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2013). A meta-analytic structural model of dispositional affectivity and emotional labor. Personnel Psychology, 66(1), 47-90. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12009
Keyes, C. L. (2002). The mental health continuum: From languishing to flourishing in life. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 43(2), 207-222. https://doi.org/10.2307/3090197
Keyes, C. L. (2007). Promoting and protecting mental health as flourishing: A more complete philosophy of mental health. American Psychologist, 62(2), 95-108. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.62.2.95
Kruml, S. M., & Geddes, D. (2000). Exploring the dimensions of emotional labor: The interplay of facial expression and cybernetic control. Journal of Management Inquiry, 9(1), 8-24. https://doi.org/10.1177/105649260091002
Larson, E., & Maxcy, B. (2019). The somatic and emotional labor of personal trainers. Sociology of Sport Journal, 36(3), 221-230. https://doi.org/10.1123/ssj.2018-0113
Lee, J., & Chelladurai, P. (2018). Affective characteristics and emotional labor of fitness personal trainers. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 19(2), 154-171. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-05-2016-0021
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications.
Mesmer-Magnus, J. R., DeChurch, L. A., & Wax, A. (2012). Moving emotional labor beyond surface and deep acting: A brand new look at corporate culture. Human Resource Management Review, 22(1), 6-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2011.08.001
Pujasari, A., & Herani, I. (2022). Regulasi emosi dan emotional labor pada instruktur kebugaran wanita. Jurnal Psikologi Teoretis dan Terapan, 13(1), 45-58. https://doi.org/10.26740/jptt.v13n1.p45-58
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2001). On happiness and human potentials: A review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Annual Review of Psychology, 52(1), 141-166. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.141
Seligman, M. E. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Free Press.
Simpson, R. (2009). Men in non-traditional occupations: Care and professionalism in the fitness industry. Gender, Work & Organization, 16(1), 4-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0432.2008.00431.x
Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research. SAGE Publications.
Smith, J. A. (2011). Evaluating the contribution of interpretative phenomenological analysis. Health Psychology Review, 5(1), 9-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2010.510659
Surya, R., & Wulan, R. (2024). Analisis kualitatif emosional pekerja jasa kebugaran urban di Indonesia. Jurnal Psikologi Sosial, 22(2), 112-124. https://doi.org/10.7454/jps.v22i2.1102
Toniolo-Barrios, M., & Pitt, L. (2021). Mindfulness and the challenges of working from home in times of crisis. Business Horizons, 64(2), 189-197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2020.09.004
Van Beek, I., Taris, T. W., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2011). Workaholic, engaged, or burned out? The role of job characteristics and intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation. Work & Stress, 25(3), 258-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2011.617551
VanderWeele, T. J. (2017). On the promotion of human flourishing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(31), 8148-8156. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1702996114
Wharton, A. S. (2009). The sociology of emotional labor. Annual Review of Sociology, 35(1), 147-165. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-115930
Widiantoro, F. W. (2026). Psikologi Flourishing: Dinamika Kesehatan Mental Positif. Deepublish.
Widiastuti, M., & Handayani, S. (2023). Pengalaman kualitatif kesehatan mental instruktur olahraga pasca-pandemi. Jurnal Intervensi Psikologi, 15(1), 12-27. https://doi.org/10.20885/jip.vol15.iss1.art2
Wingerden, J. V., & Poell, R. F. (2017). Meaningful work and resilience among human service professionals: The mediating role of flourishing. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01542
Yagil, D. (2008). When the customer is wrong: A review of research on customer misconduct and its effect on service employees. Journal of Relationship Marketing, 7(2), 123-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332660802262444
Yardley, L. (2000). Dilemmas in conducting and evaluating qualitative research. Psychology & Health, 15(2), 215-228. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870440008400302
Zapf, D. (2002). Emotion work and psychological well-being: A review of the literature and some conceptual considerations. Human Resource Management Review, 12(2), 237-268. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1053-4822(02)00048-7
Zito, M., Cortese, C. G., & Colombo, L. (2016). Nurses’ emotional labor: A relationship with team identity and flourishing. Journal of Nursing Management, 24(7), 915-923. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12402
Published
2026-08-03
How to Cite
Bastian, S. K., & Widiantoro, F. W. (2026). Emotional Labor and Flourishing Achievement Process Of Personal Trainer. International Journal of Education, Vocational and Social Science , 5(03), 6773-6788. https://doi.org/10.63922/ijevss.v5i03.5525
Contact Person +6282139474255
Email : ijevss@citakonsultindo.or.id / editor.ijevss@gmail.com
