Business managers aren’t therapists. If you are running a team and trying to meet your company’s goals, addressing employee emotions likely isn’t at the top of your list of favorite business activities. But it will happen. Here are some of the major emotions that you must manage in business, and how you can use emotional intelligence to address the issue and get everyone back to work.
Most Common Emotions in the Workplace
Conflict is inevitable in the workplace. When employees come into conflict over a business priority or interpersonal dispute, or when an employee’s personal concerns make their way into the workplace, it can be up to their manager or team leader to diffuse the situation and get everyone back on track.
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Anger
The emotion managers dread the most in the workplace is anger. Some leadership teams are so afraid of having angry employees that they create a workplace culture of conflict avoidance or “toxic positivity.” In these settings, stoicism or a fear of negative outcomes pressure employees not to express their anger. But this doesn’t make the feeling go away, it suppresses it. When resentment reaches a boiling point, the employee may experience an outburst, disrupting the normal workflow and causing a scene.
Stress and Anxiety
As productivity demands add up and life demands more from employees, stress and anxiety have become a way of life for the modern worker. But major emotions like stress and anxiety can create significant problems in the workplace. Stressed employees may become more irritable, more prone to conflict, and less productive. They may also have a higher rate of absenteeism due to stress-related health issues, personal obligations, or even just taking “mental health days” to reduce the strain on their coping skills.
Burnout and Exhaustion
If periods of stress, crunch, or high conflict extend for long periods of time, employees may also begin to experience burnout and exhaustion. They may disengage from their work, resulting in reduced performance, or even increased turnover as workers seek greener pastures. As a manager, you must manage your team’s exhaustion by throttling back on demands when employees are pushed to their limit, to avoid sending them away from the company entirely.
Joy and Satisfaction
It should be emphasized that not all the emotions in the workplace are negative. When your team gets a big win, it can result in joy, satisfaction, and celebration. These feelings of accomplishment and success improve employee engagement and motivation, bring the team together, and result in higher creativity and productivity. As a manager, you should be encouraging your team to share those positive emotions.
Strategies for Managing Major Emotions at Work
If you are a manager struggling to manage major emotions among your employees, you may need to employ emotional intelligence strategies and techniques to resolve conflict and bring everyone together.
Setting the Tone for Emotional Conversations
Employees will naturally look to their leaders for how to respond when things get hard. You can manage strong emotions by modeling healthy ways to express feelings at work. For example, you may express your own fears or frustration when things aren’t going well without lashing out. As a manager, you can also set a positive tone for controversial and high-conflict conversations, giving everyone the space to disagree without causing outbursts.
Use Empathy to Anticipate Strong Emotions
Some conversations naturally trigger strong emotions. Lay-offs, task reassignments, delays, and performance evaluations all very naturally lead to strong emotions before and during the meetings where they are discussed. Be aware of the likely impact caused by these topics, and approach the issue with empathy. Consider ways you can make employees feel more comfortable and invite them to engage with you. Be prepared to answer questions, field their strong feelings, and give them a space to feel heard.
De-Escalate High Emotion Situations
When an employee’s emotions overcome their coping mechanism, managers are the on-site emergency responders. It is up to you to de-escalate the situation, inviting employees to take a break, spend some time in private, and compose themselves. However, you should be more than just a referee. Be prepared to actively listen to the employee as they explain how they are feeling and why. Ask questions to show you are trying to understand what they are going through before jumping to finding a solution.
Riding the High of Positive Emotions
Managers can also be a “buzz-kill” if they are not receptive when things go well. As a leader, you should be excited by your team’s success. Find ways to celebrate wins and encourage additional growth. By giving attention to positive emotions you can shift your team’s focus away from struggles to focus on their success.
It isn’t always easy to respond to the major emotions you must manage in business. But through emotional intelligence and practice, you can build trust with your employees, giving them a safe and supportive environment to do their work. By respecting their negative emotions and lifting up their positive experiences, you can help your entire team increase productivity and happiness at work.
David Stanislaw is a leadership and executive coach with over 30 years’ experience helping managers and leaders understand their employees’ emotions and manage teams effectively. Contact us to meet with David and bring on a thought partner for your business goals today.
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