Topic 4:

Workplace Emotions,
Attitudes, and
Stress

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 Emotions Defined
 Psychological, behavioral, and physiological ‘episodes’ experienced
toward an object, person, or event that create a state of readiness.
• (Episodes = “brief events” that can be as short as a few milliseconds to a few minutes)

- (Psychological episodes= e.g. thinking and feelings)

- (Behavioral episodes= e.g. facial expression, smiling, frowning)

- (Physiological episodes= e.g. blood pressure, heart rate, breathing speed)

 Most emotions occur without our awareness

 Moods – lower intensity emotions without any specific target source

(not towards a specific object)

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 Emotions, Attitudes, and Behavior
Exhibit 4.2: Model of Emotions, Attitudes, and Behavior

Definition of Attitude:
The cluster of beliefs,
assessed feelings, and
behavioral intentions
towards a person, object or
event.
(Assessed feelings)

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

Ability to perceive and express emotion,

assimilate emotion in thought, understand and
reason with emotion, and regulate (manage)
emotion in yourself and others

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The 4 Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence

Yourself Others

(understanding)
Recognition
Self-awareness Social awareness
of emotions

(managing) Relationship
Regulation Self-management
management
of emotions

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Attitude #1: Job Satisfaction

 A person's evaluation of his or her job and

work context

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E.V.L.N model:
4 Responses to Dissatisfaction
• Leaving the situation
Exit • Quitting, transferring

• Changing the situation

Voice • Problem solving, complaining

• Patiently waiting for the

Loyalty situation to improve

• Reducing work effort /quality

Neglect • Increasing absenteeism

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 Attitude #2: 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

• Justice and fairness in the organization

Justice/
Justice/ Support
Support • Support employee wellbeing

Shared
Shared •• Values
Values congruence
congruence
Values
Values

•• Employees
Employees trust
trust org
org leaders
leaders
Trust
Trust •• Job
Job security
security supports
supports trust
trust

Organizational • Know firm’s past/present/future

Organizational
Comprehension
Comprehension

Employee
Employee • Employees feel part of company
Involvement
Involvement • Involvement demonstrates 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
 A physiological and psychological condition that
prepares us to adapt to hostile environmental
conditions

 Eustress (A necessary part of life because it activates and motivates people)

 Distress (the deviation from healthy functioning)

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Consequences of Distress

Cardiovascular disease,
Physiological hypertension, headaches

Dissatisfaction, moodiness,
Psychological depression, emotional fatigue

Work performance, accidents,

Behavioral absenteeism, aggression, poor
decisions

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 General Adaptation Syndrome
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
Alarm Reaction Resistance Exhaustion

“Coping mechanisms”
start to activate

Normal
Level of
Resistance

Resistance decrease
in response Physiological and
to the “Initial Shock” Psychological
damage

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Causes of Stress

 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 (e.g. workplace bullying)
• Work overload
• Low task control

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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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Individual Differences in Stress

 Different threshold levels of

resistance to stressor
 Use different stress coping
strategies
 Workaholism
• Highly involved in work
• Inner pressure to work
• Low enjoyment of work

© Photodisc. With permission.

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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 (i.e. confidence), humor

 Control stress consequences

• Exercise, relaxation, meditation, counseling

 Receive social support

- (emotional support from co-workers, supervisors, friends, family
members, etc)

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