Transcript Introduction to the Field of Organizational Behaviour

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
2
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
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
Attitudes
Emotions
Judgments about an
attitude object
Experiences related to an
attitude object
Based mainly on
rational logic
Usually stable for days
or longer
Based on innate and learned
responses to environment
Usually experienced for
seconds 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
Attitudes: From Beliefs to Behaviour
Perceived Environment
Cognitive
process
Emotional
process
Beliefs
Attitude
Emotional
Episodes
Feelings
Behavioural
Intentions
Behaviour
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-attitudesbehaviour 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
Model of Emotional Intelligence
Highest
Lowest
Relationship
Management
Managing other people’s emotions
Social Awareness
Perceiving and understanding the
meaning of others’ emotions
Self-management
Managing our own emotions
Self-awareness
perceiving and understanding the
meaning of your own emotions
Emotional Intelligence Competencies
Self
(personal competence)
Other
(social competence)
Recognition
of emotions
Self-awareness
Social awareness
Regulation
of emotions
Self-management
Relationship
management
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
EVLN: Responses to Dissatisfaction
Exit
Voice
• Leaving the situation
• Quitting, transferring
• Changing the situation
• Problem solving, complaining
Loyalty
• Patiently waiting for the
situation
to improve
Neglect
• Reducing work effort/quality
• Increasing absenteeism
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
General Adaptation Syndrome
Stage 1
Alarm Reaction
Normal
Level of
Resistance
Stage 2
Resistance
Stage 3
Exhaustion
Consequences of Distress
Physiological
Cardiovascular disease,
hypertension, headaches
Behavioral
Work performance, accidents,
absenteeism, aggression, poor
decisions
Psychological
Dissatisfaction, moodiness,
depression, emotional fatigue
Job Burnout Process
Interpersonal and
Role-Related Stressors
Emotional
Exhaustion
Cynicism
Reduced Personal
Accomplishment
Physiological,
psychological,
and behavioural
consequences
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
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
© Photodisc. With permission.
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
Workplace Emotions,
Attitudes, and Stress
Canadian OB 7e: McShane/Steen
34
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved