Culture Shock and Job Satisfaction among IT Employees: The Mediating Role of Emotional Labour

Abstract

This study examines the impact of culture shock on job satisfaction among IT employees in South India and investigates the mediating role of emotional labour. The results indicate that culture shock has a positive influence on emotional labour and a negative impact on job satisfaction. Emotional labour also exerts a significant negative effect on job satisfaction. Mediation analysis confirmed that emotional labour partially mediates the relationship between culture shock and job satisfaction. The findings highlight that cultural dissonance directly diminishes employee satisfaction and indirectly erodes it through the demands of emotional regulation. The study emphasizes the significance of HR interventions, including structured onboarding, mentorship, resilience-building programs, and inclusive policies, in mitigating the negative effects of culture shock and enhancing employee satisfaction and retention in IT organizations. By shifting the focus from expatriates and international students to domestic IT professionals, this study extends existing culture shock literature and empirically validates emotional labour as a mediating mechanism in workplace adjustment within the Indian IT sector.