Anger expression and suppression at work: causes, characteristics and predictors

Purpose: The current study aims to explore the causes, characteristics and consequences of workplace anger expression and suppression, with an additional aim of testing the emotional dimension of Affective Events Theory. Design/methodology/approach: Participants (n=187) from management and non-management positions completed an event-contingent anger diary over a period of four working weeks, alongside measures on trait anger and job satisfaction. Findings: Over fifty per cent of the sample disclosed anger causing events. In keeping with Affective Events Theory disposition was important, with trait anger higher in those disclosing anger causing events. There appeared a range of factors predicting the expression of anger, with these focused primarily on individual issues and pre-existing emotion rather than work characteristics. Practical implications: Originality/value: Through consideration of management and non-management workers and by using a longitudinal design, the study highlights the importance of individual factors in understanding workplace anger. It notes the value in focusing on discrete emotion. The findings offers clear direction for future research that could assist with enhancing models of workplace emotion, particularly if the aim is to account for discrete emotions

Does Being Bored Make Us More Creative?

Boredom has traditionally been associated with a range of negative outcomes, both within the workplace and outside it. More recently, however, it has been suggested that boredom can have positive outcomes, one of which might be increased creativity. This study addressed this proposition by examining the relationship between boredom and creative potential on a range of tasks. Two studies were carried out; the first involved 80 participants taking part in either a boring writing activity or not (control group) followed by a creative task. The second study involved a further 90 participants who varied in the type of boring activity they undertook (either a boring written activity, a boring reading activity or control) and the type of creative task that followed. Results suggested that boring activities resulted in increased creativity and that boring reading activities lead to more creativity in some circumstances (such as convergent tasks) than boring written activities. The role of daydreaming as a mediator between boredom and creativity is discussed and implications are outline

Boredom at the checkout: Causes, coping strategies and outcomes of Workplace Boredom in a Supermarket setting

The current study explores boredom within the context of a retail environment in order to explore ways in which the experience of workplace boredom can be managed. The questionnaire-based study of 117 employees of a national supermarket chain found that although only 17% of participants experienced chronic boredom at work, 40-50% claimed that workplace boredom leads to potentially serious consequences such as making mistakes or leaving their jobs. Multiple regression analysis suggests that routine is the biggest contributor to workplace boredom, followed by the personality trait of Boredom Proneness. Implications for retail organisations are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR

Manage your Anger

If people perceive you to have an anger management problem, it's likely you spend most of your time dealing with the consequences of this, rather than the causes. This practical book, full of diagnostic questionnaires and immediately applicable advice, will help you to understand the causes of your angry reactions and instead channel your emotions into directions which will enable you to have more successful relationships in your business dealings and personal life