Moody Offices
The cliche of the stressed worker kicking the family dog after
a bad day at the office may be true: staff who get into bad
moods at work often bring those moods home.
The good news is that the opposite is true: good moods
from work accompany workers home too. In a recent study
published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, researchers
found that moods experienced by people at work spill over
into their home lives.
Positive moods experienced at work, such as a sense of
accomplishment, satisfaction and happiness, tend to make
workers feel cheerful, upbeat and happy when they get
home, said the study, written by Timothy Judge of the
Department of Management at the University of Florida and
Remus Ilies, of Michigan State University's Department of
Management.
Meanwhile, negative moods such as general irritation,
dissatisfaction and anxiety influence a worker's mood at
home. And since moods are contagious, the bad mood can
infect the whole family.
Since business success is predicated on worker productivity,
job satisfaction, engagement and a desire to come to work,
nurturing a positive mood in the office is a must as is
reducing the potential for negativity.
The researchers indicated that the best way for employers to
contribute to a positive work environment and reduce
negativity is through their treatment of employees.
There are seven ways to guard against a negative work
environment by creating psychologically positive working
conditions:
1. Treat People Fairly.
Refrain from giving some staff special treatment but not
others. Giving some employees kudos for a job well done
while ignoring others' efforts breeds discontent and
resentment. Be inclusive. Strive to build an environment in
which information, resources, and tools are shared. If a
worker feels left out of the loop there's high potential for him
or her to become irritable.
2. Create and Adhere to Harassment and Anti-bullying
Policies.
Organizations that take a positive approach to ensuring
psychological safety on the job help create a good office
mood. Having a sexual and professional harassment policy
that highlights appropriate behaviours at work and describes
the range of prohibited actions helps with worker
contentment. Firmly disallowing inappropriate touching and
sexual comments, stopping malicious gossip, teasing and
bullying contributes to a positive mood at work.
3. Train and Encourage Open Communication Practices.
Helping staff learn to talk to colleagues when they have a
concern, problem or feedback, encouraging the constructive
airing of differing opinions and ensuring people follow up on
difficult conversations with each other can change an office
mood. Clearing the air and refusing to allow issues to fester
reduces frustration and increases efficiency. Withholding
opinions, being uncommunicative or giving colleagues hurtful
messages causes negative workplace moods.
4. Create a Culture of Gratitude.
Being appreciated elevates staff mood. Getting a pat on the
back or a thank-you demonstrates that staff matter and their
efforts are noticed. A positive office atmosphere often
results when people are encouraged to offer their
appreciation to one another on an ongoing basis. Public
displays of company gratitude and recognition at official
events are important, but don't forget day-to-day acts of
gratitude. It's hard to be grumpy when people like what you
do and tell you so.
5. Celebrate Good News.
Have fun. Look at the bright side. Trumpet a win. Seeking
opportunities to celebrate is important. Make an occasion of
key milestones – the anniversary of a product launch, for
instance. Too many companies experience a success and
allow the moment to go by unacknowledged.
Acknowledging a positive doesn't need to take a lot of time—
consider a cake, a toast or a luncheon to commemorate a
company accomplishment.
6. Value work-home balance.
Organizations that involve employees in finding ways to
balance their working and home lives contribute to staff
psychological health. Asking employees about how their
work life is affecting their home environment provides
feedback to the organization. Inquiries regarding a person's
number of hours at work and whether work is being taken
home gives insights into whether work is impinging on family
time. Understanding that stressed workers bring their tension
and frustration home is an important step in creating family-
friendly company policies and attitudes. A positive work
environment prevents staff from quitting at the behest of their
families, reduces sick days and absenteeism. Family-
friendly organizations are more productive and engage
satisfied, and loyal workers.
While some workers may quit a job that puts them in a
chronic bad mood, they need to choose the next one with
care given that a bad job affects workers and their families.
Be on the look-out for signs of a moody workplace—grumpy
looking people, unwelcoming interview panelists, indifferent
receptionists, apathetic sales floor personnel or burned-out
customer service staff.
Knowing your personality type is also important in ensuring
satisfaction at work. Judge and Ilies observed that
extroverts tend to see the world optimistically and are often
in a good mood. They seek positive interactions with others
and tend to downplay negative events. Tense or anxious
people, on the other hand, tend to highlight unpleasant
situations and are less positive.
Realizing that your personality can affect your mood is
important. Worriers should seek workplaces where they are
almost certain to be content.
Extroverts should avoid minimizing the impact of office
negativity on their mood. However, gregarious people
satisfied with their jobs will find their optimistic outlook fueled
by a positive work environment.
The idea that work and home are separate spheres is
becoming increasingly outdated. Psychological research
shows that the boundary between work-life and home-life is
permeable, one's work experiences affect home-based
interactions while the moods brought home from work go
back to the office with staff the next morning.
Staying in a positive cycle is essential to happier families
and a satisfied and productive workforce.
Dr. Jennifer Newman and Dr. Darryl Grigg are registered
psychologists and directors of Newman & Grigg Psychological and
Consulting Services Ltd., a Vancouver-based corporate training and
development partnership. They can be contacted at sunmail@newmangrigg.com
Identifying information in cases cited has been changed to
protect confidentiality.