Stress and Emotional Labour as Predictors of Psychological Wellbeing: Evidence from Nigerian Production Workers

Abstract

Psychological wellbeing among production workers in Nigeria's manufacturing sector remains an underexamined concern despite the considerable occupational demands characterising this work environment. Existing research has largely focused on wellbeing outcomes in of other populations, with insufficient attention to the roles of stress and emotional labour in industrial settings. This study examined stress and emotional labour as predictors of psychological wellbeing among production workers in Nigeria, while controlling for important demographic characteristics. Participants were 203 production workers (121 men and 82 women)) drawn from four manufacturing organisations in Lagos and Ogun States. Purposive sampling was employed in the selection of participants. The Symptom Checklist-90, the Positive Affect subscale of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Emotional Exhaustion
Scale were used to measure stress, psychological wellbeing, and emotional labour respectively. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyse the data. Findings showed that stress and emotional labour negatively predicted psychological wellbeing, with stress emerging as the stronger predictor. Organisational interventions targeting the primary sources of job demands, alongside initiatives that reduce unnecessary emotion regulation requirements within production teams, are recommended to promote the psychological wellbeing of workers in Nigerian manufacturing environments.