Emotional Regulation, Work Engagement, and In-Role Performance: Evidence from University Lecturers

Abstract

Lecturers frequently encounter emotional demands in their daily academic responsibilities, including teaching, mentoring, research, and administrative tasks. These demands require them to manage their emotional expressions in ways that support effective professional performance. Emotional regulation, therefore, becomes an important psychological process that shapes how lecturers’ function in their roles. This study examines how two emotional regulation strategies, surface acting and deep acting, influence lecturers’ in-role job performance. It also analyses the mediating role of lecturers’ engagement, represented by vigour, dedication, and absorption. A quantitative design was employed by distributing an online survey to 271 lecturers at private universities in Central Java, Indonesia, and the data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings show that deep acting enhances lecturers’ engagement and in-role performance, whereas surface acting reduces engagement and weakens performance. Mediation analysis indicates that vigour and dedication significantly transmit the effects of emotional regulation on in-role performance, while absorption does not play a mediating role. These results suggest that authentic emotional expression supports higher motivation and energy, which contribute to better job performance, whereas suppressing or faking emotions strains emotional resources and reduces effectiveness. The study highlights the distinct roles of emotional regulation strategies and engagement dimensions in shaping lecturers’ professional outcomes. These insights can help universities develop work environments that support emotional well-being and maintain lecturer performance.