The Neglect and Importance of Emotion at Work

Abstract

This article provides an overview of the multiple roles of emotion at work. First, traditional approaches to work and well-being and their limitations are considered. The advantages of understanding more specific feeling states rather than the nonspecific states of "stress" and "satisfaction" are outlined. Next, some recent developments in activity surrounding the study of emotion at work are briefly described. A distinction is made in the article between the expression and experience of felt emotion at work. The literature around the expression of emotion at work and, in particular, emotional labour is reviewed by addressing four key questions. Then, the very limited research on the experience of emotion at work is described: The importance of looking at emotion in terms of transactions and processes rather than simple cause and effect is emphasized. Some of the implications of the overview for both practitioners and researchers are considered. The article concludes with the observation that as emotion is fundamental to nearly all aspects of work behaviour its study should be integrated with existing research on work and organizational psychology.