Emotions are universal.

The human experience is full of emotions; they are all around us. They can be experienced at any time, but there are specific times when they become especially important—like when you’re at work.

In this blog, we will go over all aspects of emotions in the workplace, including the types of emotions you can experience at work, which ones are positive and which ones are negative, and tips for how to control emotions at work, when necessary.

What are the Types of Emotions at Work?

You can experience the same types of emotions at work that you can experience outside of work. Some people express their emotions at work more than others, while some find it difficult to show their emotions at all. You can also experience a range of different emotions when you’re working as part of a team or group.

Generally, we think of emotions at work as grouped into two categories: Positive and negative emotions. Both are important indicators of how you or someone else is feeling, but at the same time it is important to make sure they are always under your control.

What is Emotional Control in the Workplace?

Emotional control is the ability to manage and regulate your emotions in a way that helps you perform better at work. 

Emotional control can mean different things for different people, but it generally refers to managing feelings such as anger or frustration so they don’t get in the way of your work. It is important to control your emotions so that you make decisions that are the best for you and your position at a company/your relationships with co-workers.

Is it Okay to Get Emotional at Work?

Emotions are an important part of what makes us human, but they can also cause problems at work. Uncontrolled emotions can lead to poor decision making and conflict with colleagues, while over-control of your feelings may make it difficult to connect with others.

But emotions also play a huge role in how you interact with other people. In fact, your moods and feelings have a significant impact on how you communicate and relate to others. While some may view this as an obstacle that hinders productivity, there are actually several benefits to team members expressing their feelings in the workplace.

Therefore, we think it’s okay to show emotion at work if it is in a controlled manner. After all, we are all only human, and emotions are part of what defines us as a species!

Why is it Important to Manage Your Emotions at Work?

Because just shutting the emotional valve off or throwing it completely on both causes you to miss the important things that can come from utilizing emotions in the workplace in a strategic way. 

Emotions are powerful forces that can change how you act at work. When you’re angry or anxious, for example, you may lash out at those around you. Or when we feel stressed out and overwhelmed, your productivity suffers. 

Research has even shown that negative emotions can have an impact on job performance.

How Do You Deal with Emotions at Work?

The best steps and tips we’ve found to deal with emotions at work are:

1. Taking a deep breath – calm yourself down first. Try and clear your head so you can focus on identifying your emotional trigger, or what caused this feeling in the first place.
2. Step away – from the conversation, the meeting, the office, what have you. It’s important to take this step so as to ensure that you don’t say or do something you don’t mean. 
3. Be honest with yourself – during this time, try and talk yourself through your feelings. Why are you feeling this way? Is it justified? Has it happened before? Does it necessitate action?
4. Make a decision – decide whether or not communicating your emotions in some way would be advantageous to making you feel better.

Some Emotions Can Be Beneficial in the Workplace if Controlled

Learning to recognize, control and accept your emotions can help you get ahead at work, as there are many different emotional states that we experience throughout the course of a day, but only a few of these states can be considered appropriate for the workplace. 

Emotions such as anger, frustration and anxiety may be perfectly normal reactions to difficult situations in our personal lives. However, these emotions are rarely productive when brought into the workplace. So focus on bringing more positivity into your life and use the steps above to identify and vanquish the negative!

FAQS

What are negative emotions in the workplace?

Negative emotions are feelings that cause you to feel unhappy, angry, envious, or frustrated, and tend to have a negative impact on job performance and productivity.

How do you deal with emotional triggers in the workplace?

Managing emotional triggers in the workplace requires you to be aware of your emotions, as well as those around you. When we’re triggered, our first instinct is to react. However, this doesn’t always lead to productive outcomes.

Try recognizing the patterns in your emotional triggers first. Then, you try to defuse your emotions rather than ignoring them or acting on them.

What are 3 ways to manage your emotions?

Three of our favorite ways to manage our emotions are:

1. Taking a deep breath
2. Going for a walk
3. Stepping away from a situation to take a mental break