Chapter 4 Workplace Emotions, Attitudes, and Stress Canadian OB 7e: McShane/Steen 1 © 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Workplace Emotions,

Attitudes, and Stress

Canadian OB 7e: McShane/Steen 1 © 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

Having Fun at WestJet

Having fun is part of the culture at WestJet, including this attempt by CEO Sean Durfy to toss a cupcake up to pilot Gordon Simmons. Generating positive emotions at work is an important way to improve organizational effectiveness.

Canadian OB 7e: McShane/Steen

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

2

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

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

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

BehaviourBehaviour

Attitudes: From Beliefs to Behaviour

Perceived EnvironmentPerceived Environment

Attitude FeelingsFeelings

BeliefsBeliefs

BehaviouralBehaviouralIntentionsIntentions

Cognitive process

Emotional process

Emotional Episodes

Role of Emotions in Attitudes

Feelings influenced by cumulative emotional episodes

We ‘listen in’ on our emotions Conflict between cognitive and emotional

processes Emotions also directly affect behaviour

• e.g. facial expression

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.

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

Emotional Labour in Nursing

Nurses such as Suzanne Stringer, a charge nurse at Regina General Hospital, must display a variety of emotions toward different patients. Emotional exhaustion is a real risk in the nursing profession

Emotional Labour Defined

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

Emotional labour higher when job requires:• frequent and long duration

display of emotions• displaying a variety of emotions• displaying more intense

emotions

Emotional Labour 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

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

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

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

Emotional Intelligence Competencies

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

Job Satisfaction

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

A collection of attitudes about specific facets of the job

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

Job Satisfaction and Performance

Happy workers are somewhat more productive workers, but:

1. General attitude is a poor predictor of specific behaviours

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)

Job Satisfaction and Customers

Job satisfaction affects mood, leading to positive behaviours toward customers

Less employee turnover, resulting in more consistent and familiar service

Organizational Commitment

Affective commitment• Emotional attachment to, identification with, and

involvement in an organization

Continuance commitment• Belief that staying with the organization serves your

personal interests

Building Organizational Commitment

Justice and support• Apply humanitarian values

Shared values• Values congruence

Trust• Employees trust org leaders

Organizational comprehension• Know firm’s past/present/future

Employee involvement

What is Stress?

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

A complex emotion that prepares us for fight or flight

Eustress vs. distress

Stage 1Alarm Reaction

Stage 2Resistance

Stage 3Exhaustion

NormalLevel of

Resistance

General Adaptation Syndrome

BehavioralBehavioral

PsychologicPsychologicalal

Work performance, accidents, absenteeism, aggression, poor decisions

Dissatisfaction, moodiness, depression, emotional fatigue

PhysiologicPhysiologicalal

Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, headaches

Consequences of Distress

CynicismCynicism

Reduced Personal Reduced Personal AccomplishmentAccomplishment

Physiological,Physiological,

psychological,psychological,

and behaviouraland behavioural

consequencesconsequences

EmotionalEmotionalExhaustionExhaustion

Interpersonal andRole-Related Stressors

Job Burnout Process

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

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.

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

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

© 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

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

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Workplace Emotions,

Attitudes, and Stress

Canadian OB 7e: McShane/Steen 34 © 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved