The study of emotions in the workplace, edited by University of Liverpool researchers Drs. Dirk Lindebaum and Peter Jordan, is the topic of a Special Issue of the journal Human Relations.

 

They found that the commonly-held assumption that positivity in the workplace produces positive outcomes, while negative emotions lead to negative outcomes, may be in need for reconsideration. This is partly due to this assumption failing to take into account the differences in work contexts which effect outcomes.

 

For instance, anger does not always lead to negative outcomes and can be used as a force for good through acting¹ upon injustices³. In some cases, anger can be considered a force for good if motivated by perceived violations⁴ of moral standards.

 

An employee, for example, could express anger constructively⁵ after a manager has treated a fellow worker unfairly.

 

In such cases, anger can be useful to prevent these acts of injustice² from repeating themselves in the future.

 

Likewise, being too positive in the workplace, rather than resulting in greater well-being⁶ and greater productivity, can lead to complacency and superficiality.

 

One article within the issue also finds that, within team situations, negativity can have a good affect, leading to less consensus⁷ and therefore greater discussion amongst workers which enhances team effectiveness.

 

An interesting contradiction is identified in another study of the special issue. Here, people derive⁸ satisfaction from doing “good” in the context of helplines by providing support to people in times of emotional distress⁹.

 

However, they are negatively affected¹⁰ by their line of work due to people shunning¹¹ them in social situations (e.g., since they might catch the emotional taint¹² they attribute to the profession of the helpline workers).

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