Emotions Affect Attitudes and Behaviors at Work

According to Affective Events Theory, six emotions are affected by events at work. For example, imagine that a coworker unexpectedly delivers your morning ... PreviousSection TableofContents NextSection 7.5EmotionsatWork LearningObjectives UnderstandAffectiveEventsTheory. Understandtheinfluenceofemotionsonattitudesandbehaviorsatwork. Learnwhatemotionallaborisandhowitaffectsindividuals. Learnwhatemotionalintelligenceis. EmotionsAffectAttitudesandBehaviorsatWork Emotionsshapeanindividual’sbeliefaboutthevalueofajob,acompany,orateam.Emotionsalsoaffectbehaviorsatwork.Researchshowsthatindividualswithinyourowninnercirclearebetterabletorecognizeandunderstandyouremotions.Elfenbein,H.A.,&Ambady,N.(2002).Isthereanin-groupadvantageinemotionrecognition?PsychologicalBulletin,128,243–249. So,whatistheconnectionbetweenemotions,attitudes,andbehaviorsatwork?ThisconnectionmaybeexplainedusingatheorynamedAffectiveEventsTheory(AET)Atheorythatexploreshoweventsonthejobcausedifferentkindsofpeopletofeeldifferentemotions..ResearchersHowardWeissandRussellCropanzanostudiedtheeffectofsixmajorkindsofemotionsintheworkplace:anger,fear,joy,love,sadness,andsurprise.Weiss,H.M.,&Cropanzano,R.(1996).Affectiveeventstheory:Atheoreticaldiscussionofthestructure,causesandconsequencesofaffectiveexperiencesatwork.ResearchinOrganizationalBehavior,18,1–74.Theirtheoryarguesthatspecificeventsonthejobcausedifferentkindsofpeopletofeeldifferentemotions.Theseemotions,inturn,inspireactionsthatcanbenefitorimpedeothersatwork.Fisher,C.D.(2002).Real-timeaffectatwork:Aneglectedphenomenoninorganizationalbehaviour.AustralianJournalofManagement,27,1–10. Figure7.11 AccordingtoAffectiveEventsTheory,sixemotionsareaffectedbyeventsatwork. Forexample,imaginethatacoworkerunexpectedlydeliversyourmorningcoffeetoyourdesk.Asaresultofthispleasant,ifunexpectedexperience,youmayfeelhappyandsurprised.Ifthatcoworkerisyourboss,youmightfeelproudaswell.Studieshavefoundthatthepositivefeelingsresultingfromworkexperiencemayinspireyoutodosomethingyouhadn’tplannedtodobefore.Forinstance,youmightvolunteertohelpacolleagueonaprojectyouweren’tplanningtoworkonbefore.Youractionwouldbeanaffect-drivenbehaviorBehaviorthatoccurswhenemotionstriggeryoutorespondinaparticularway..Fisher,C.D.(2002).Real-timeaffectatwork:Aneglectedphenomenoninorganizationalbehaviour.AustralianJournalofManagement,27,1–10.Alternatively,ifyouwereunfairlyreprimandedbyyourmanager,thenegativeemotionsyouexperiencemaycauseyoutowithdrawfromworkortoactmeantowardacoworker.Overtime,thesetinymomentsofemotiononthejobcaninfluenceaperson’sjobsatisfaction.Althoughcompanyperksandpromotionscancontributetoaperson’shappinessatwork,satisfactionisnotsimplyaresultofthiskindof“outside-in”rewardsystem.JobsatisfactionintheAETmodelcomesfromtheinside-in—fromthecombinationofanindividual’spersonality,smallemotionalexperiencesatworkovertime,beliefs,andaffect-drivenbehaviors. JobsthatarehighinnegativeemotioncanleadtofrustrationandburnoutOngoingnegativeemotionalstateresultingfromdissatisfaction.—anongoingnegativeemotionalstateresultingfromdissatisfaction.Lee,R.T.,&Ashforth,B.E.(1996).Ameta-analyticexaminationofthecorrelatesofthreedimensionsofjobburnout.JournalofAppliedPsychology,81,123–133;Maslach,C.(1982).Burnout:Thecostofcaring.EnglewoodCliffs,NJ:PrenticeHall;Maslach,C.,&Jackson,S.E.(1981).Themeasurementofexperiencedburnout.JournalofOccupationalBehavior,2,99–113.Depression,anxiety,anger,physicalillness,increaseddrugandalcoholuse,andinsomniacanresultfromfrustrationandburnout,withfrustrationbeingsomewhatmoreactiveandburnoutmorepassive.Theeffectsofbothconditionscanimpactcoworkers,customers,andclientsasangerboilsoverandisexpressedinone’sinteractionswithothers.Lewandowski,C.A.(2003,December1).Organizationalfactorscontributingtoworkerfrustration:Theprecursortoburnout.JournalofSociology&SocialWelfare,30,175–185. EmotionalLabor Negativeemotionsarecommonamongworkersinserviceindustries.Individualswhoworkinmanufacturingrarelymeettheircustomersface-to-face.Ifthey’reinabadmood,thecustomerwouldnotknow.Servicejobsarejusttheopposite.Partofaserviceemployee’sjobisappearingacertainwayintheeyesofthepublic.Individualsinserviceindustriesareprofessionalhelpers.Assuch,theyareexpectedtobeupbeat,friendly,andpoliteatalltimes,whichcanbeexhaustingtoaccomplishinthelongrun. Humansareemotionalcreaturesbynature.Inthecourseofaday,weexperiencemanyemotions.Thinkaboutyourdaythusfar.Canyouidentifytimeswhenyouwerehappytodealwithotherpeopleandtimesthatyouwantedtobeleftalone?Nowimaginetryingtohidealltheemotionsyou’vefelttodayfor8hoursormoreatwork.That’swhatcashiers,schoolteachers,massagetherapists,firefighters,andlibrarians,amongotherprofessionals,areaskedtodo.Asindividuals,theymaybefeelingsad,angry,orfearful,butatwork,theirjobtitletrumpstheirindividualidentity.TheresultisapersonaAprofessionalrolethatinvolvesactingoutpotentiallyartificialfeelingsaspartofajob.—aprofessionalrolethatinvolvesactingoutfeelingsthatmaynotberealaspartoftheirjob. EmotionallaborTheregulationoffeelingsandexpressionsfororganizationalpurposes.referstotheregulationoffeelingsandexpressionsfororganizationalpurposes.Grandey,A.(2000).Emotionalregulationsintheworkplace:Anewwaytoconceptualizeemotionallabor.JournalofOccupationalHealthPsychology,5,95–110.Threemajorlevelsofemotionallaborhavebeenidentified.Hochschild,A.(1983).Themanagedheart.Berkeley,CA:UniversityofCaliforniaPress. SurfaceactingBehaviorrequiringindividualstoexhibitphysicalsigns,suchassmiles,thatreflectemotionstheydon’tfeel.requiresanindividualtoexhibitphysicalsigns,suchassmiling,thatreflectemotionscustomerswanttoexperience.Achildren’shairdressercuttingthehairofacryingtoddlermaysmileandactsympatheticwithoutactuallyfeelingso.Inthiscase,thepersonisengagedinsurfaceacting. DeepactingBehaviorrequiringanindividualtopretendtoexperienceemotionstheydon’tfeel.takessurfaceactingonestepfurther.Thistime,insteadoffakinganemotionthatacustomermaywanttosee,anemployeewillactivelytrytoexperiencetheemotiontheyaredisplaying.Thisgenuineattemptatempathyhelpsaligntheemotionsoneisexperiencingwiththeemotionsoneisdisplaying.Thechildren’shairdressermayempathizewiththetoddlerbyimagininghowstressfulitmustbeforonesolittletobeconstrainedinachairandbeinanunfamiliarenvironment,andthehairdressermaygenuinelybegintofeelsadforthechild. GenuineactingBehaviorrequiringanindividualtodisplayemotionsalignedwiththeirown.occurswhenindividualsareaskedtodisplayemotionsthatarealignedwiththeirown.Ifajobrequiresgenuineacting,lessemotionallaborisrequiredbecausetheactionsareconsistentwithtruefeelings. Figure7.12 Whenitcomestoacting,theclosertothemiddleofthecirclethatyouractionsare,thelessemotionallaboryourjobdemands.Thefurtheraway,themoreemotionallaborthejobdemands. Researchshowsthatsurfaceactingisrelatedtohigherlevelsofstressandfewerfeltpositiveemotions,whiledeepactingmayleadtolessstress.Beal,D.J.,Trougakos,J.P.,Weiss,H.M.,&Green,S.G.(2006).Episodicprocessesinemotionallabor:Perceptionsofaffectivedeliveryandregulationstrategies.JournalofAppliedPsychology,91,1053–1065;Grandey,A.A.(2003).When“theshowmustgoon”:Surfaceactinganddeepactingasdeterminantsofemotionalexhaustionandpeer-ratedservicedelivery.AcademyofManagementJournal,46,86–96.Emotionallaborisparticularlycommoninserviceindustriesthatarealsocharacterizedbyrelativelylowpay,whichcreatestheaddedpotentialsforstressandfeelingsofbeingtreatedunfairly.Glomb,T.M.,Kammeyer-Mueller,J.D.,&Rotundo,M.(2004).Emotionallabordemandsandcompensatingwagedifferentials.JournalofAppliedPsychology,89,700–714;Rupp,D.E.,&Sharmin,S.(2006).Whencustomerslashout:Theeffectsofcustomerinteractionalinjusticeonemotionallaborandthemediatingroleofdiscreteemotions.JournalofAppliedPsychology,91,971–978.Inastudyof285hotelemployees,researchersfoundthatemotionallaborwasvitalbecausesomanyemployee-customerinteractionsinvolveindividualsdealingwithemotionallychargedissues.Chu,K.(2002).Theeffectsofemotionallaboronemployeeworkoutcomes.Unpublisheddoctoraldissertation,VirginiaPolytechnicInstituteandStateUniversity.Emotionallaborersarerequiredtodisplayspecificemotionsaspartoftheirjobs.Sometimes,theseareemotionsthattheworkeralreadyfeels.Inthatcase,thestrainoftheemotionallaborisminimal.Forexample,afuneraldirectorisgenerallyexpectedtodisplaysympathyforafamily’sloss,andinthecaseofafamilymembersufferinganuntimelydeath,thisemotionmaybegenuine.Butforpeoplewhosejobsrequirethemtobeprofessionallypoliteandcheerful,suchasflightattendants,ortobeseriousandauthoritative,suchaspoliceofficers,theworkofwearingone’s“gameface”canhaveeffectsthatoutlasttheworkingday.Tocombatthis,takingbreakscanhelpsurfaceactorstocopemoreeffectively.Beal,D.J.,Green,S.G.,&Weiss,H.(2008).Makingthebreakcount:Anepisodicexaminationofrecoveryactivities,emotionalexperiences,andpositiveaffectivedisplays.AcademyofManagementJournal,51,131–146.Inaddition,researchershavefoundthatgreaterautonomyisrelatedtolessstrainforserviceworkersintheUnitedStatesaswellasFrance.Grandey,A.A.,Fisk,G.M.,&Steiner,D.D.(2005).Must“servicewithasmile”bestressful?ThemoderatingroleofpersonalcontrolforAmericanandFrenchemployees.JournalofAppliedPsychology,90,893–904. CognitivedissonanceAtermthatreferstoamismatchamongemotions,attitudes,beliefs,andbehavior.isatermthatreferstoamismatchamongemotions,attitudes,beliefs,andbehavior,forexample,believingthatyoushouldalwaysbepolitetoacustomerregardlessofpersonalfeelings,yethavingjustbeenrudetoone.You’llexperiencediscomfortorstressunlessyoufindawaytoalleviatethedissonance.Youcanreducethepersonalconflictbychangingyourbehavior(tryinghardertoactpolite),changingyourbelief(maybeit’sOKtobealittlelesspolitesometimes),orbyaddinganewfactthatchangestheimportanceofthepreviousfacts(suchasyouwillotherwisebelaidoffthenextday).Althoughactingpositivecanmakeapersonfeelpositive,emotionallaborthatinvolvesalargedegreeofemotionalorcognitivedissonancecanbegrueling,sometimesleadingtonegativehealtheffects.Zapf,D.(2006).Onthepositiveandnegativeeffectsofemotionworkinorganizations.EuropeanJournalofWorkandOrganizationalPsychology,15,1–28. EmotionalIntelligence Onewaytomanagetheeffectsofemotionallaborisbyincreasingyourawarenessofthegapsbetweenrealemotionsandemotionsthatarerequiredbyyourprofessionalpersona.“WhatamIfeeling?Andwhatdoothersfeel?”ThesequestionsformtheheartofemotionalintelligenceHowpeoplecanunderstandeachothermorecompletelybybecomingmoreawareoftheirownandothers’emotions..ThetermwascoinedbypsychologistsPeterSaloveyandJohnMayerandwaspopularizedbypsychologistDanielGolemaninabookofthesamename.Emotionalintelligencelooksathowpeoplecanunderstandeachothermorecompletelybydevelopinganincreasedawarenessoftheirownandothers’emotions.Carmeli,A.(2003).Therelationshipbetweenemotionalintelligenceandworkattitudes,behaviorandoutcomes:Anexaminationamongseniormanagers.JournalofManagerialPsychology,18,788–813. Therearefourbuildingblocksinvolvedindevelopingahighlevelofemotionalintelligence.Self-awarenessThisexistswhenyouareabletoaccuratelyperceive,evaluate,anddisplayappropriateemotions.existswhenyouareabletoaccuratelyperceive,evaluate,anddisplayappropriateemotions.Self-managementThisexistswhenyouareabletodirectyouremotionsinapositivewaywhenneeded.existswhenyouareabletodirectyouremotionsinapositivewaywhenneeded.SocialawarenessThisexistswhenyouareabletounderstandhowothersfeel.existswhenyouareabletounderstandhowothersfeel.RelationshipmanagementThisexistswhenyouareabletohelpothersmanagetheirownemotionsandtrulyestablishsupportiverelationshipswithothers.existswhenyouareabletohelpothersmanagetheirownemotionsandtrulyestablishsupportiverelationshipswithothers.Elfenbein,H.A.,&Ambady,N.(2002).Predictingworkplaceoutcomesfromtheabilitytoeavesdroponfeelings.JournalofAppliedPsychology,87,963–971;Weisinger,H.(1998).Emotionalintelligenceatwork.SanFrancisco:Jossey-Bass. Figure7.13 Thefourstepsofemotionalintelligencebuildupononeanother. Intheworkplace,emotionalintelligencecanbeusedtoformharmoniousteamsbytakingadvantageofthetalentsofeverymember.Toaccomplishthis,colleagueswellversedinemotionalintelligencecanlookforopportunitiestomotivatethemselvesandinspireotherstoworktogether.Goleman,D.(1995).Emotionalintelligence.NewYork:BantamBooks.Chiefamongtheemotionsthathelpedcreateasuccessfulteam,Golemanlearned,wasempathy—theabilitytoputoneselfinanother’sshoes,whetherthatindividualhasachievedamajortriumphorfallenshortofpersonalgoals.Goleman,D.(1998).Workingwithemotionalintelligence.NewYork:BantamBooks.Thosehighinemotionalintelligencehavebeenfoundtohavehigherself-efficacyincopingwithadversity,perceivesituationsaschallengesratherthanthreats,andhavehigherlifesatisfaction,whichcanallhelplowerstresslevels.Law,K.S.,Wong,C.,&Song,L.J.(2004).Theconstructandcriterionvalidityofemotionalintelligenceanditspotentialutilityformanagementstudies.JournalofAppliedPsychology,89,483–496;Mikolajczak,M.,&Luminet,O.(2008).Traitemotionalintelligenceandthecognitiveappraisalofstressfulevents:Anexploratorystudy.PersonalityandIndividualDifferences,44,1445–1453. KeyTakeaway Emotionsaffectattitudesandbehaviorsatwork.AffectiveEventsTheorycanhelpexplaintheserelationships.Emotionallaborishigherwhenoneisaskedtoactinawaythatisinconsistentwithpersonalfeelings.Surfaceactingrequiresahighlevelofemotionallabor.Emotionalintelligencereferstounderstandinghowothersarereactingtoouremotions. Exercises Whatistheworstjobyouhaveeverhad(orclassprojectifyouhaven’tworked)?Didthejobrequireemotionallabor?Ifso,howdidyoudealwithit? Researchshowsthatacting“happy”whenyouarenotcanbeexhausting.Whydoyouthinkthatis?Haveyoueverfeltthatway?Whatcanyoudotolessenthesefeelings? Howimportantdoyouthinkemotionalintelligenceisatwork?Why? PreviousSection TableofContents NextSection