The Theme of the Month: Emotions in the Workplace

"There is no room for emotions in business." Perhaps a sentence you've heard before, but is it true? Do we just turn off our emotions the second we enter our workplace? Emotions matter; regardless of your position in an organization, your actions, decisions, and performances are influenced by what you feel.?

Emotions have a significant place in organizations. You probably know it yourself: nothing is better when you feel engaged and happy, but it's tough when rough times and negative emotions hinder your ability to work. If you think that professionalism equals suppressing feelings, you're wrong.???

Decision-making, creativity, turnover, teamwork, negotiations, communication, and leadership are just some aspects in which emotions play an essential part. While it seems we can't go to work without emotions, we must ask ourselves if the work environment allows us to express and deal with emotions.?

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

Feelings are not limited to our home. Full-time employees, student-workers, part-time employees, managers, CFOs - everybody brings emotions to work. While we may not always verbally communicate our feelings, reading a room or a person to understand a specific situation and mood is easy.??

We can categorize emotions into two primary groups: positive and negative emotions. Positive emotions are happiness, involvement, motivation, and belonging. Negative emotions, on the other hand, are stress, anger, anxiety, and burnout.?

Especially those negative feelings are hard to communicate, and often we respond with "I'm fine." Whether you're an HR professional, a manager, or a co-worker, you can help your colleagues and yourself. How? It's very much straightforward: working with feelings requires two crucial factors: 1) You know how to express and control your emotions, and 2) your organization has established a secure and safe environment where emotions are recognized.?

The ability to identify, express, and control emotions is coined 'Emotional Intelligence. (EI)'. Employees with high EI are good communicators, great players in teamwork, and experience higher job satisfaction than others. Working and developing one's EI is much better than just being "fine" at work.??

Achieve Success by Managing Your Emotions: 5 Tips for All Employees to Excel in the Workplace

Achieving success in the workplace requires more than just technical skills and knowledge. It also requires the ability to manage your emotions effectively. Here are some tips to consider on how to manage emotions:

Emotions are contagious and can have a domino effect in the workplace. When employees experience intense emotions, such as anger or frustration, it can spread to other employees and impact their mood and behavior. It can lead to decreased productivity, poor communication, and strained relationships. On the other hand, when employees display emotions such as enthusiasm or empathy, it can have a positive impact and create a more productive work environment.

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How to Foster Emotional Dialogue and Boost Employee Engagement

As an HR professional, it's essential to recognize that managing emotions in the workplace can be difficult for employees, who may need support in developing their emotional intelligence skills. Proactively offering resources and training programs can help employees improve their EI.?

It may include counseling, coaching, or training sessions on how to manage emotions in the workplace. Encourage employees to seek help if they're struggling with emotional challenges or difficult situations, and provide a safe and supportive environment for them to do so. By offering support and resources for EI development, you can help your employees become more resilient, effective, and successful.

Where does the HR work start? While training seems like a great idea, we suggest starting with something much simpler: a survey. Surveys provide valuable feedback and insights from employees on various aspects, and this feedback can help HR professionals and managers identify areas for improvement.

With HR-ON Staff, you can use the Engagement Builder to foster emotional dialogue and boost employee engagement. Set up an engagement about EI, send it out to your employees, and gather insights and feedback that HR can use.

Not sure what to ask? Here are 10 questions to ask your employees:??

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Make Room for Emotions:

In conclusion, emotions do matter in the workplace. They influence our behavior, decisions, and performance. Suppressing emotions is not the answer. Instead, we must develop EI and learn to identify, express, and manage emotions effectively.?

Doing so can improve communication, teamwork, and leadership, leading to a more productive work environment. HR professionals can play a significant role in fostering emotional dialogue and providing resources and training programs to help employees develop emotional intelligence skills. By proactively addressing emotional challenges, we can create a safe and supportive work environment where employees thrive.