Workplace Emotions, Attitudes, and Stress

McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

1

Positive Attitudes at Clydesdale Bank

McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

2

By giving its contact centre employees more positive

experiences at work, Clydesdale Bank (a division of

National Australia Bank) has reduced absenteeism and

turnover while significantly improving customer satisfaction.

Emotions Defined

Psychological, behavioural, 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

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

3McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Types of Emotions

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

4McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Attitudes vs. Emotions

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

5McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

AttitudesAttitudes EmotionsEmotions

Judgements about anJudgements about anattitude objectattitude objectJudgements about anJudgements about anattitude objectattitude object

Based mainly onBased mainly onrational logicrational logicBased mainly onBased mainly onrational logicrational logic

Usually stable for daysUsually stable for daysor longeror longerUsually 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

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• Behavioural intentions – motivation to act in

response to the attitude object

Problem: ignores important role of emotions in shaping attitudes

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

6McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

BehaviourBehaviour

Attitudes: From Beliefs to Behavior

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

7McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Perceived EnvironmentPerceived Environment

Attitude FeelingsFeelings

BeliefsBeliefs

BehaviouralBehaviouralIntentionsIntentions

Cognitive process

Emotional process

Emotional Episodes

Emotions, Attitudes, and Behaviour

How emotions influence attitudes:• Feelings are shaped by cumulative emotional

episodes (not just evaluation of beliefs)• We ‘listen in’ on our emotions when determining our

attitude toward something

Potential conflict between cognitive and emotional processes

Emotions also directly affect behaviour • eg. facial expression

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

8McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

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 (see photo).

McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

9

Generating Positive Emotions at Work

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

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

McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

10

Cognitive Dissonance

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

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

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

11McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Emotional Labour Defined

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

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

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

12McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Emotional Labour Across Cultures

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

in Korea, Japan, Austria• Emotional expression encouraged in Kuwait, Egypt,

Spain, Russia

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

13McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Emotional Labour 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

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

14McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

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

McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

15 © 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

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

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

16McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Emotional Intelligence Competencies

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

17McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Self-awareness Social awareness

Self-managementRelationship management

Self(personal competence)

Other(social competence)

Recognition of emotions

Regulationof emotions

Improving Emotional Intelligence

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

Can be learned, especially through coaching

EI increases with age – maturity

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

18McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Job Satisfaction

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

A collection of attitudes about specific facets of the job

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

19McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

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

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

20McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Job Satisfaction and Performance

Happy workers are somewhat more productive workers, but:• General attitude is a poor predictor of specific

behaviours• Job performance affects satisfaction only when

rewarded• Effect on performance strongest in complex jobs

because of greater employee influence on job performance (eg. limited in assembly lines)

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

21McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Happy Staff = Happy Customersat Wegmans

American food retailer Wegmans Food Markets enjoys strong customer loyalty and low employee turnover by keeping employees happy.

McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

22

Job Satisfaction and Customers

Job satisfaction increases customer satisfaction and profitability because:

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

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

McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

23 © 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

Organisational Commitment

Affective commitment• Emotional attachment to, identification with, and

involvement in an organisation

Continuance commitment• Calculative attachment – stay because too costly to

quit

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

24McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Building (Affective) Commitment

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

25McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

SharedSharedvaluesvalues

SharedSharedvaluesvalues • Values congruence• Values congruence

Justice/ supportJustice/ supportJustice/ supportJustice/ support• 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

What is Stress?

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

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

Eustress vs. distress

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

26McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Stage 1Alarm reaction

Stage 2Resistance

Stage 3Exhaustion

Normallevel of

resistance

General Adaptation Syndrome

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

27McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Consequences of Distress

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

28McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

BehaviouralBehaviouralBehaviouralBehavioural Work performance, accidents, absenteeism, aggression, poor decisions

Work performance, accidents, absenteeism, aggression, poor decisions

PhysiologicalPhysiologicalPhysiologicalPhysiologicalCardiovascular disease, hypertension, headaches

PsychologicalPsychologicalPsychologicalPsychological Dissatisfaction, moodiness, depression, emotional fatigue

Dissatisfaction, moodiness, depression, emotional fatigue

CynicismCynicism

Reduced personal Reduced personal accomplishmentaccomplishment

Physiological,Physiological,

psychological,psychological,

and behaviouraland behavioural

consequencesconsequences

EmotionalEmotionalexhaustionexhaustion

Interpersonal androle-related stressors

Job Burnout Process

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

29McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

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 and incivility• Work overload• Low task control

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

30McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

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.

McShane/Von Glinow OB 5e 31 © 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

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

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

32McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Work Overload and Task Control Stressors

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

cope• Affected by globalisation, consumerism, ideal worker

norm

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

performed• Stress increases with responsibility

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

33McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

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

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

34McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Work-Life Balance at MH Australia

McGraw-Hill has won several awards for managing employee stress through work-life balance initiatives. For example, McGraw-Hill Australia executive Matthew Coxhill (see photo) works mainly from his home in regional Australia and has time off from his job to continue his other vocations as a professional trainer and mediator.

McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

35

Managing Work-Related Stress

Remove the stressor• Minimise/remove stressors

Withdraw from the stressor• Vacation, rest breaks

Change stress perceptions• Positive self-concept, humour

Control stress consequences• Healthy lifestyle, fitness, wellness

Receive social support

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

36McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

Workplace Emotions, Attitudes, and Stress

McShane-Olekalns-Travaglione OB Pacific Rim 3e

© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

37