Disentangling person and work unit level relationships between a climate of authenticity and work engagement: The mediating role of surface acting in interactions with work unit members

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between the climate of authenticity and work engagement and the mediating role of surface acting that is directed at work unit members in this relationship. In a sample of 246 employees from 56 work units, multilevel structural equation modeling results show that a climate of authenticity is negatively associated with surface acting at the individual and work unit levels of analysis. Moreover, the relationship between the climate of authenticity and work engagement is mediated by surface acting in workplace interactions at the individual level of analysis. Our results suggest employee perceptions of a work unit affect climate that welcomes expressions of authentic emotions contributes to work engagement which is underlain by a low need to suppress the felt and fake the displayed emotions in workplace interactions.