[1] "Positive emotions in the workplace help employees obtain favorable outcomes including achievement, job enrichment and higher quality social context".
[2] "Negative emotions, such as fear, anger, stress, hostility, sadness, and guilt, however increase the predictability of workplace deviance,",[3] and how the outside world views the organization.
[4] Moods on the other hand, are more "generalized feelings or states that are not typically identified with a particular stimulus and not sufficiently intense to interrupt ongoing thought processes".
Ever since then the study of emotions in the workplace has been seen as a near science, with seminars being held on it and books being writing about it every year to help us understand the role it plays,[6] especially via the Emonet website and Listserv, founded by Neal M. Ashkanasy in 1997.
Positive emotions at work such as high achievement and excitement have "desirable effect independent of a person's relationships with others, including greater task activity, persistence, and enhanced cognitive function.
"[10] "This relates to the induction or suppression of feeling in order to sustain an outward appearance that produces a sense in others of being cared for in a convivial safe place.".
"Burnout is related to serious negative consequences such as deterioration in the quality of service, job turnover, absenteeism and low morale…[It] seems to be correlated with various self report indices of personal distress, including physical exhaustion, insomnia, increased use of alcohol and drugs and marital and family problems".
Psychological and Emotional- "Individuals experiencing job insecurity have an increased risk for anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and somatic complaints".
There are eight important solutions to ending conflict in a workplace according to McQuerrey, first being to set a policy in an employee handbook making drama unacceptable.
Other examples in her article include: Stopping gossip before it makes its rounds, confronting employees about changes at work yourself instead of having a rumor mill, report drama if there is a regular instigator.
According to Gallup’s 2024 report, a growing number of employees experience stress, burnout, and disengagement, with only 23% of workers worldwide feeling engaged at work.
The report identifies a well-being deficit, where organizations fail to recognize the impact of emotions on employee motivation, decision-making, and performance (Gallup, 2024).
Leaders play a crucial role in addressing emotional well-being by fostering a culture that prioritizes employee recognition, clear communication, and psychological safety.
Gallup’s research suggests that frequent, meaningful conversations between managers and employees significantly improve emotional well-being, leading to higher engagement and lower turnover.
Furthermore, organizations that provide mental health resources, flexible work arrangements, and professional development opportunities help reduce workplace stress and improve overall job satisfaction.
Given that workplace emotions directly impact business outcomes, companies that invest in employee well-being initiatives not only enhance individual performance but also achieve long-term profitability and sustainability.
The Gallup report concludes that companies that fail to address emotional well-being in the workplace risk higher absenteeism, lower morale, and declining financial performance.
This indicates that stress reduction and health protection could be achieved not only by decreasing work demands (stressors), but also by increasing the personal resources of employees, including emotional intelligence.