Period Pain and Emotional Labour

Abstract

To answer a growing call for more research on the influence of menstruation at work, especially in emotionally demanding professions, this study investigates the relationship between period pain and emotional labour to help inform effective workplace policies. Drawing from the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory (Hobfoll, 1989), which states that individuals strive to obtain, maintain, and protect their resources and that the threat of possibly losing resources causes stress, the primary objective of this cross-sectional study is to examine whether there is a relationship between period pain and emotional labour (surface acting and deep acting). In addition, we investigate whether this relationship can be partly explained by presenteeism and what the role of adjustment latitude is in this relationship. We conducted a cross-sectional study using an online survey from which data was analysed using a multiple regression analysis (N = 250). The findings indicate that period pain is positively related with both surface acting (b = .58, p<.001) and deep acting (b = .37, p<.001). Presenteeism did not mediate the relationship between period pain and either form of emotional labour, neither surface acting (p = .28) nor deep acting (p = .78). However, presenteeism was found to be positively related to period pain (b = 1.54, p<.001). Adjustment latitude did not significantly moderate the relationship between period pain and presenteeism (95% CI [-.002, .01]), but did relate negatively to presenteeism (b = -.20, p<.01). This study contributes to the understanding of how menstruating employees allocate resources to manage period pain in the workplace. Further research is essential for a more comprehensive understanding and more effective workplace policies. Keywords: adjustment latitude, emotional labour, period pain, presenteeism