Hidden emotional labor in daily chats: The dual effects of small talk on knowledge sharing

Knowledge sharing is central to organizational innovation, yet the dual influence of small talk on this process remains unresolved. Drawing on Emotional Labor Theory, this study examined the dual effects of small talk on knowledge sharing by testing the mediating roles of surface and deep acting, and the moderating role of emotional intelligence. A three-wave design with one-month intervals was adopted to collect data from 273 full-time employees across diverse enterprises in China. Confirmatory factor analysis, path analysis, and bootstrapping were used to test the hypothesized model. The results indicated that small talk was negatively associated with knowledge sharing through surface acting, yet positively associated with it through deep acting. Emotional intelligence weakened the association between small talk and surface acting, while strengthening the association between small talk and deep acting. Important theoretical and practical implications are discussed.