Positive Employee Moods in Groups Can Be Self-Reinforcing

When employees have positive moods and feelings (called positive affect) in the workplace, they tend to be better at helping others, solving-problems, and taking risks. When a group of employees has positive group affect, they tend to have more cooperation, less conflict, less absenteeism, and higher individual well-being than groups with low positive affect. Today’s best managers know that group positive affect can be contagious. Group members share their positive emotions and that leads other employees to feel more positive in return. Unfortunately, the positive mood can get much higher than it should, and that can hurt performance, so today’s best managers help employees keep a healthy level of positive affect.

Source: Walter, F., & Bruch, H. 2008. The positive group affect spiral: A dynamic model of the emergence of positive affective similarity in work groups. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29, 239-261.

Employee Thoughts and Feelings Influence Many Job Attitudes and Behaviors

Today’s best managers know that the feelings and moods that employees experience on the job influence many aspects of employee thoughts and behaviors. These feelings and moods are called “affect” and they can be positive or negative. Employee thoughts can shape feelings, and feelings can shape thoughts. Employee affect can influence decision-making, performance appraisal scores, ratings of job applicants, job satisfaction, employee job performance, and the willingness to help other employees. Today’s best managers monitor employee affect since employee thoughts and feelings influence so much of employee performance.

Source: Baron, R. 2008. The role of affect in the entrepreneurial process. Academy of Management Review, 33, 328-340.