Coping with organizational life: Emotions and Stress

Answers to self-assessment test

1. c. Until he returns the screwdriver, I’d act cool toward him and hope he gets the message.
2. d. You relax, think about the project, and then bounce some of your ideas off one of your col-leagues before pursuing what you believe is the best one.
3. b. You explain to this person politely that his or her humming annoys you and explain the reasons why.
4. a. You do your best to involve the client in a conversation so that the two of you can learn about one another.
5. a. You get angry and mutter something to yourself about being so clumsy
6. b. You keep on doing your best and realize that there will always be another opportunity to get promoted.
7. c. You interrupt Bob, saying that you’re uncomfortable talking behind someone’s back, and then change the subject.

Scoring and interpretation

Solutions to discussion questions

I achieved 71.43%, indicating a higher emotional intelligence.

For item 7, EI answer was alternative “c” instead of “b”. As an aspect of emotional intelligence, an individual is supposed to stand up honestly for others in any situation without having to think about another option.

Coping with organizational life: Emotions and Stress

Problems expected in the workplace due to negative employee’s emotions and moods.

Since the rise of the scientific management in the late nineteenth century, the norm in the work world was to hinder employees’ emotions. According to Greenberg (2013), any successful organization was that which dint allow its employees to express anger, fear, frustration, grief, hate, nervousness, stress, anxiety, tranquillity and similar feelings. Researchers and managers tried to create emotion-free organization, even with the knowledge that emotions are inseparable parts of our daily lives. They considered emotions as strong negative feelings. They believed that emotions of any kind were disruptive. They never thought of any positive emotions that are constructive and able to enhance performance.

 Certainly even in the modern workplace, when negative emotions are exhibited at the wrong time they can reduce employee performance and thus lower production. Negative emotions can lead to poor customer service. These emotions make the employees lose motivation and later cause turnover problems. Negative employees spend their days figuring out how to avoid work and complaining about the work they are supposed to do. In the worst cases, negativity can lead to frustrations and even violence in the workplace.

How the company’s supervisors should behave so as to get their subordinates to have a more positive experience at work     

            Managers and leaders may try to create positive environments daily by maybe, holding quick motivational gathering with the staff at the start of the day, or sending an email to each employee with a positive goal, feedback or thought. The management can give time and space to the employees to check in with colleagues and socialize before starting off their work.

Supervisors should avoid showing immediate frustration when an employee arrives a few minutes late. This may avoid raising a bad mood or negative emotions to the employee and hence avoid lowered productivity and compromised job performance all day. Discussing the lateness issue at some other appropriate time helps both the supervisor’s emotional reaction and the employees’ ability to discuss and give feedback.

According to Greenberg (2013), managers should define jobs clearly to ensure that workers know what they are supposed to do and avoid conflicts. He added that he supervisors should listen to concerns expressed by the employees. Being the leaders, Greenberg suggested that, they should encourage workers to join groups where they discuss work-related issues with colleagues.

Organizational stress management technics for a company

Stress management in any company can be done in a number of ways ranging from the most basic to some more complex ones. Some basic ways include raising the morale of the employees in the workplace. This can be done by making people smile. Research has shown that using words like “CHEESE”, which has long “e” sound, makes people smile and thus feel more positive emotionally. It has also been proven that emotions are contagious, that is, when supervisors and managers display negative moods and emotions, this tends to be taken up by the employees, who in turn reduce work performance. Small acts by an organization’s management can largely reduce employees’ stress. Such acts may be a culture of providing fresh fruits or cookies to employees every morning,

            The management can occasionally bring up talks to the employees so that they create intentional transition. In this case, the employees can reset their moods often by maybe creating cultures like stopping for coffee, taking more charming route to office or listening to favourite kinds of music.

To reduce stress, Greenberg (2013) suggested that individuals should be placed in jobs that match their skills and interests. He also added that the management should ensure that workers’ skills are updated through trainings to keep them performing in their jobs. He argued that individual’s abilities should be reviewed regularly to ensure that everyone fits where they are working.

According to Greenberg (2013), when individuals are recruited, they come as a whole, with their problems which might be medical, legal, financial or social in nature. He indicated that organizations have programs to place and help employees with such problems. Such programs may be Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) or Member Assistance Programs (MAPs).

Reference

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970203388804576612943738516996

http://catalogue.pearsoned.co.uk/samplechapter/0132431564.pdf

Greenberg, J. (2013).  Managing Behavior in Organizations (6th ed.).  McGraw-Hill/Irwin.  ISBN-10:  0-13-272983-0.