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
Attitudes Emotions
Judgments about an
attitude object
Based mainly on
rational logic
Usually stable for days
or longer
Experiences related to an
attitude object
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
Behaviour
Attitudes: From Beliefs to
Behaviour
Perceived Environment
Attitude
Feelings
Beliefs
Behavioural
Intentions
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
individuals beliefs, feelings and behaviours
are inconsistent with one another
Most common when behaviour is:
known to others
done voluntarily
cant 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 peoples emotions
Lowest
Highest
Model of Emotional
Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence
Competencies
Self-awareness Social awareness
Self-management
Relationship
management
Self
(personal competence)
Other
(social competence)
Recognition
of emotions
Regulation
of 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

Loyalty
Voice
Exit
Neglect
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 firms past/present/future
Employee involvement
What is Stress?
An adaptive response to a situation that is
perceived as challenging or threatening to the
persons well-being
A complex emotion that prepares us for fight
or flight
Eustress vs. distress
Stage 1
Alarm Reaction
Stage 2
Resistance
Stage 3
Exhaustion
Normal
Level of
Resistance
General Adaptation
Syndrome
Behavioral
Psychological
Work performance, accidents,
absenteeism, aggression, poor
decisions
Dissatisfaction, moodiness,
depression, emotional fatigue
Physiological
Cardiovascular disease,
hypertension, headaches
Consequences of Distress
Cynicism
Reduced Personal
Accomplishment
Physiological,
psychological,
and behavioural
consequences
Emotional
Exhaustion
Interpersonal and
Role-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
Workplace Emotions,
Attitudes, and Stress
Canadian OB 7e: McShane/Steen
34
2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved