Workplace Emotions, Attitudes, andStress

McGraw-Hill/IrwinMcShane/Von Glinow OB 5e Copyright © 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Positive Emotions at Mott MacDonald

To attract and keep talented employees, companies are finding creative ways to generate positive emotions in the workplace. Employees at Mott MacDonald have plenty of fun. For example, the Abu Dhabi oil and gas team has an annual desert safari, complete with camel rides (shown in photo).

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Emotions Defined

Psychological, behavioral, and physiological episodes experienced toward an object, person, or event that create a state of readiness.

Most emotions occur without our awareness

Moods – lower intensity emotions without any specific target source

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Types of Emotions

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Attitudes versus Emotions

AttitudesAttitudes EmotionsEmotions

Judgments about anJudgments about anattitude objectattitude object

Judgments about anJudgments about anattitude objectattitude object

Based mainly onBased mainly onrational logicrational logic

Based mainly onBased mainly onrational logicrational logic

Usually stable for daysUsually stable for daysor longeror longer

Usually stable for daysUsually stable for daysor longeror longer

Experiences related to anExperiences related to anattitude objectattitude object

Experiences related to anExperiences related to anattitude objectattitude object

Based on innate and learned Based on innate and learned responses to environmentresponses to environment

Based on innate and learned Based on innate and learned responses to environmentresponses to environment

Usually experienced forUsually experienced forseconds or lessseconds or less

Usually experienced forUsually experienced forseconds or lessseconds or less

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Traditional Model of Attitudes

Purely cognitive approach• Beliefs: established perceptions of attitude object• Feelings: calculation of good or bad based on

beliefs about the attitude object• Behavioral intentions: motivation to act in response

to the attitude object

Problem: Ignores important role of emotions in shaping attitudes

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BehaviorBehavior

Attitudes: From Beliefs to Behavior

Perceived EnvironmentPerceived Environment

Attitude FeelingsFeelings

BeliefsBeliefs

BehavioralBehavioralIntentionsIntentions

Cognitive process

Emotional process

Emotional Episodes

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Emotions, Attitudes, and Behavior

How emotions influence attitudes:1. Feelings are shaped by cumulative emotional

episodes (not just evaluation of beliefs)

2. We ‘listen in’ on our emotions when determining our attitude toward something

Potential conflict between cognitive and emotional processes

Emotions also directly affect behavior • e.g. facial expression

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Generating Positive Emotions at Work

The emotions-attitudes-behavior model illustrates that attitudes are shaped by ongoing emotional experiences.

Thus, successful companies actively create more positive than negative emotional episodes.

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Cognitive Dissonance

A state of anxiety that occurs when an individual’s beliefs, feelings and behaviors are inconsistent with one another

Most common when behavior is:• known to others• done voluntarily• can’t be undone

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Emotional Labor Defined

Effort, planning and control needed to express organizationally desired emotions during interpersonal transactions.

Emotional labor is higher when job requires:• frequent and long duration display of emotions• displaying a variety of emotions• displaying more intense emotions

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Emotional Labor Across Cultures

Displaying or hiding emotions varies across cultures• Minimal emotional expression and monotonic voice

in Korea, Japan, Austria• Encourage emotional expression in Kuwait, Egypt,

Spain, Russia

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Emotional Labor Challenges

Difficult to display expected emotions accurately, and to hide true emotions

Emotional dissonance• Conflict between true and required emotions• Potentially stressful with surface acting• Less stress through deep acting

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Emotional Intelligence Defined

Ability to perceive and express emotion, assimilate emotion in thought, understand and reason with emotion, and regulate emotion in oneself and others

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Social Awareness

Self-management

Perceiving and understanding the meaning of others’ emotions

Managing our own emotions

Self-awareness perceiving and understanding the meaning of your own emotions

Relationship Management

Managing other people’s emotions

Lowest

Highest

Model of Emotional Intelligence

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Emotional Intelligence Competencies

Self-awareness Social awareness

Self-managementRelationship management

Self(personal competence)

Other(social competence)

Recognition of emotions

Regulationof emotions

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Improving Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a set of competencies (aptitudes, skills)

Can be learned, especially through coaching

EI increases with age -- maturity

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Job Satisfaction

A person's evaluation of his or her job and work context

A collection of attitudes about specific facets of the job

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LoyaltyLoyalty

VoiceVoice

ExitExit

NeglectNeglect

• Leaving the situation• Quitting, transferring

• Changing the situation• Problem solving, complaining

• Patiently waiting for the situation to improve

• Reducing work effort/quality• Increasing absenteeism

EVLN: Responses to Dissatisfaction

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Job Satisfaction and Performance

Happy workers are somewhat more productive workers, but:

1. General attitude is a poor predictor of specific behaviors

2. Job performance affects satisfaction only when rewarded

3. Effect on performance strongest in complex jobs because of greater employee influence on job performance (e.g. limited in assembly lines)

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Happy Staff=Happy Customers at Wegman’s

Wegmans Food Market enjoys strong customer loyalty and low employee turnover by keeping employees happy.

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Job Satisfaction and Customers

Job satisfaction increases customer satisfaction and profitability because:

1. Job satisfaction affects mood, leading to positive behaviors toward customers

2. Job satisfaction reduces employee turnover, resulting in more consistent and familiar service

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Organizational Commitment

Affective commitment• Emotional attachment to, identification with, and

involvement in an organization

Continuance commitment• Calculative attachment – stay because too costly to

quit

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Building (Affective) commitment

SharedSharedValuesValuesSharedSharedValuesValues • Values congruence• Values congruence

Justice/ Justice/ SupportSupportJustice/ Justice/ SupportSupport

• Apply humanitarian values• Support employee wellbeing

EmployeeEmployeeInvolvementInvolvementEmployeeEmployee

InvolvementInvolvement• Employees feel part of company• Involvement demonstrates trust

OrganisationalOrganisationalComprehensionComprehensionOrganisationalOrganisationalComprehensionComprehension

• Know firm’s past/present/future• Open and rapid communication

TrustTrustTrustTrust • Employees trust org leaders• Job security supports trust

• Employees trust org leaders• Job security supports trust

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What is Stress?

An adaptive response to a situation that is perceived as challenging or threatening to the person’s well-being

Aphysiological and psychological condition that prepares us to adapt to hostile or noxious environmental conditions

Eustress vs. distress

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Stage 1Alarm Reaction

Stage 2Resistance

Stage 3Exhaustion

NormalLevel of

Resistance

General Adaptation Syndrome

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BehavioralBehavioral

PsychologicPsychologicalal

Work performance, accidents, absenteeism, aggression, poor decisions

Dissatisfaction, moodiness, depression, emotional fatigue

PhysiologicPhysiologicalal

Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, headaches

Consequences of Distress

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CynicismCynicism

Reduced Personal Reduced Personal AccomplishmentAccomplishment

Physiological,Physiological,

psychological,psychological,

and behavioraland behavioral

consequencesconsequences

EmotionalEmotionalExhaustionExhaustion

Interpersonal andRole-Related Stressors

Job Burnout Process

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What are Stressors?

Stressors are the causes of stress -- any environmental condition that places a physical or emotional demand on the person.

Some common workplace stressors include:• Harassment an incivility• Work overload• Low task control

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Psychological Harassment

Repeated and hostile or

unwanted conduct, verbal

comments, actions or gestures,

that affect an employee's dignity

or psychological or physical

integrity and that result in a

harmful work environment for the

employee.

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Sexual Harassment

Unwelcome conduct -- detrimental effect on work environment or job performance

Quid pro quo• employment or job performance is conditional on

unwanted sexual relations

Hostile work environment• an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working

environment

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Work Overload and Task Control Stressors

Work Overload Stressor• Working more hours, more intensely than one can

cope• Affected by globalization, consumerism, ideal

worker norm

Task Control Stressor• Due to lack control over how and when tasks are

performed• Stress increases with responsibility

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© Photodisc. With permission.

Individual Differences in Stress

Different threshold levels of resistance to stressor

Use different stress coping strategies

Resilience to stress• Due to personality and coping

strategies Workaholism

• Highly involved in work• Inner pressure to work• Low enjoyment of work

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Managing Work-Related Stress Remove the stressor

• Minimize/remove stressors

Withdraw from the stressor• Vacation, rest breaks

Change stress perceptions• Positive self-concept, humor

Control stress consequences• Healthy lifestyle, fitness, wellness

Receive social support

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Workplace Emotions, Attitudes, andStress

McGraw-Hill/IrwinMcShane/Von Glinow OB 5e Copyright © 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.4-35