The Construction of Resilience in Customer Service Work: The Role of Emotional Experiences Amid Technological Transformation
Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This master's thesis examines the resilience of e-commerce customer service employees amid technological transformation, particularly from the perspective of emotional experiences.The aim of the study was to explore how customer service employees experience the changes brought about by digitalization and the emotions associated with these changes, as well as how these experiences help them strengthen their capacity to cope.In addition, the study investigated how emotions can be addressed at both the individual and organizational levels in ways that support adaptation and reinforce resilience during periods of change.Accordingly, the main research question was: What role do customer service employees' emotional experiences play in the construction of resilience?The theoretical framework is based on the interactive relationship between resilience and emotions, complemented by the perspectives of psychological capital (PsyCap) and organizational support.These perspectives enable an understanding of how internal individual resources and support provided by the work community can strengthen employees' resilience and assist them in processing work-related emotions triggered by technological change.The study was conducted as a qualitative diary study among customer service employees working in Finnish retail e-commerce.The data consisted of diary entries from ten employees, in which they described their experiences of technological changes, the emotions related to them, and their coping strategies.The data were analyzed using theory-driven qualitative content analysis.
Author: Hirvi, Hilkka
Language: Finnish
Topic: Resilience and Mental Health
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7215365103