Why service with a smile may not always pay

Asst Prof Sam Yam Kai Chi from the Dept of Management and Organisation at NUS Business School found in a study that ‘surface acting’ can cause supervisors to subsequently become more abusive towards their subordinates in a way likely to undermine their performance and, as a result, the performance of the firm. He suggested practices that can help employees towards restraining emotional outbursts, and added that firms should hire individuals, especially those in frontline positions, who are genuinely interested in helping others.

• TODAY, 7 April 2016, p16