Reframing Demands and Generating Resources: A JD-R Mechanism for the Dual Pathways of Emotional Labor and the Role of Meaningful Work

As artificial intelligence transforms the service sector, human-centric emotional connection becomes a critical differentiator; however, the daily toll of emotional labor threatens job engagement, essential for high-quality service. Integrating Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory with a needs-supply fit framework, this study investigates the daily episodic processes of emotional labor and the defensive role of meaningful work. Using a 10-day diary study of 60 early childhood educators (n=596 observations), the research confirmed dual pathways: surface acting triggered a health impairment process by depleting positive affect, while deep acting initiated a motivational process by generating it. Crucially, the findings revealed that meaningful work acts as a vital motivational supply that neutralizes the depleting effects of surface acting. For professionals with high levels of meaningful work, the health impairment process was effectively blocked, preserving their behavioral investment. This study extends JD-R and job engagement literature by highlighting the importance of needs-supply (motivational fulfillment) alongside person-job fit perspectives. It suggests that sustaining engagement in professional service roles may be significantly influenced by fulfilling the psychological need for meaning, which enables employees to proactively reframe emotional demands as professional opportunities rather than mere burdens. These insights offer a strategic framework for managing human capital in an increasingly automated service economy.