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Introduction
Acceptance of change within an organization depends on the emotional state of employees and managers. The behavior, feelings and attitudes of employees within an organization are influenced by their emotions (Zerbe 2008, p. 173). It is important to highlight the interpersonal effects of emotions in order to comprehend the exact influence of emotions within an organization.
The domains of organizational behavior are very essential in understanding the effect of emotions on the performance of employees (Zerbe 2008, p. 173). Organizational behavior domains such as leadership, group decision making and customer service require emotional intelligence from the parties involved.
Emotional intelligence is a very valuable attribute that all stakeholders within an organization need to possess (Zerbe 2008, p. 174). The success or failure of an organization actually depends on the level of emotional intelligence among its employees and managers. This paper will highlight the role of emotions in the management of organizational change.
Discussion
Many organizations have always underestimated the effect of emotions in the day activities of an organization (Weick 1999, p. 364). In fact, the topic of emotions never featured in the past until recently when managers realized that emotions actually play a significant role in the success of an organization (Weick 1999, p. 364). Many organizations are now taking the subject of emotions very seriously after discovering its significance.
Organizations believed that emotions could only be expressed at home but they forgot that employees still remained human despite being at the workplace (Weick 1999, p. 364). The corporate world is now discovering that the positive emotions of employees should not be left at home because they are crucial to the success of an organization.
A recent research indicates that the productivity and creativity of employees is affected in a great way by emotions (Weick 1999, p. 366). Emotional intelligence determines the career success of an employee compared to cognitive intelligence.
Although cognitive intelligence is important for an employee, research reveals that a combination of both cognitive and emotional intelligence is crucial for employees to achieve their career goals (Weick 1999, p. 366). The management of organizations has come to realize that their success depends on their ability to utilize positive emotions of employees to their organizations’ advantage (Weick 1999, p. 367).
Managers who have mastered the art of stimulating and sustaining positive emotions in their employees have actually been able to witness positive results (Vince 1996, p. 17). The current market is very competitive and it is therefore necessary for organizations to come with strategies that can give them a competitive advantage.
The primary sources of competitive advantage such as intellectual capital, customer service, organizational responsiveness and productivity are influenced directly by employee emotions (Vince 1996, p. 17). The creativity and knowledge of employees are very significant in the success of an organization since the modern economy is knowledge-based.
Employees that are creative and knowledgeable are very receptive to organizational change compared to those who are not knowledgeable and creative (Vince 1996, p. 17). The ability of an organization to harness intellectual capital from its employees will enable it to survive in an innovation driven economy.
The intellectual capital of employees should therefore be engaged and cultivated by management for the expected results to be achieved (Vince 1996, p. 18).
The emotional state of employees determines the organization’s level of intellectual capital (Pfeffer 1981, p. 43). The intellectual functioning of employees within the organization is also affected directly by emotions. A smart and innovative workforce is a dream of many organizations and this can only be achieved through proper management of employee emotions (Pfeffer 1981, p. 43).
The flexibility and originality an employee’s thinking is normally diminished by a negative emotional state. Flexibility in thinking is one of the key attributes needed in the implementation of organizational change (Pfeffer 1981, p. 43). It is the duty of management to ensure that employees remain in a positive state of mind to enhance originality and flexibility in their thinking.
A dispirited workforce loses the interest to innovate and identify new opportunities (Pfeffer 1981, p. 43). Negative emotions make employees lose the energy and drive to be creative. A passionate, confident and secure workforce will always make wise decisions and at the same time create new solutions (Pfeffer 1981, p. 44).
Sharing of knowledge and expertise in the entire organization is very important in a knowledge driven economy (Neal 2004, p. 60). Employees in a negative emotional state are always unwilling to help and share information with others.
Implementation of organizational change requires knowledge to be shared throughout the organization and if this does not happen, then organizational change implementation becomes difficult (Neal 2004, p. 60). The intellectual capital of an organization enables information to be disseminated freely.
Organizations that have effective information dissemination systems experience a lot of success because implementation of organizational changes becomes much easier (Neal 2004, p. 60). Employees who are insecure about losing their positions are normally reluctant to share knowledge with others.
Employees who feel safe and valued show high levels of commitment and are always available to share their knowledge with others (Lyubomirsky, King & Deiner 2005, p. 805). In order to maximize intellectual capital, management must ensure the emotional state of employees is turned from being negative to being positive.
It is not possible to separate emotions from customer service because the two greatly affect each other (Lyubomirsky, King & Deiner 2005, p. 805). Service workers who are demoralized and angry will definitely create a negative service climate. It is very difficult to offset a negative emotional state with training initiatives.
It is the responsibility of management to ensure that service employees are motivated in order for them to deliver quality service to customers (Lyubomirsky, King & Deiner 2005, p. 805). It is dangerous to have disgruntled service employees because they are the ones who come in direct contact with customers (Keifer 2002, p. 44).
Failure to address emotional needs of service employees has serious economic consequences since the organization is bound to lose its customers due to poor customer service. The leadership of any organization should ensure that this group of employees remains in a positive emotional state (Keifer 2002, p. 44).
It is estimated that almost 68 % of customers defect from companies where the service staff treated them with an indifferent attitude. This defection figure exactly shows the amount of damage that negative emotions can to do to an organization (Keifer 2002, p. 45). The profitability of an organization is therefore dependant on the emotional state of service employees.
The current market is always changing at a faster rate with organizational responsiveness being a major requirement for an organization’s sustainability (Hughes 2006, p. 52). Employees with positive emotions respond quickly to market changes. Threatened and dispirited employees will always resist change.
Employees in a dispirited state will not be willing to adopt new methods and systems that are important in facilitating organizational change (Hughes 2006, p. 53). Employees who are stressed stick to outdated methods even if it is obvious that the methods and systems can not deliver the required results (Hughes 2006, p. 53).
Employees with a peace of mind respond to market changes passionately. It is therefore true to say that the ability of an organization to respond to market changes and demands depends on the emotional state of its workforce (Hatfield, Cacioppo & Rapson 1994, p. 28).
Employee retention and attraction is another domain of organizational behavior that is influenced to a great extent by employee emotions (Hatfield, Cacioppo & Rapson 1994, p. 28).
Employees who are happy and motivated will always want to stay with the organization (Hartel 2006, p. 77). An organization that treats its employees well by taking care of their physical and emotional needs will always attract the best talents in the market. The productivity of employees will definitely rise if they are excited and proud of their workplace (Hartel 2006, p. 77).
It is difficult for depressed employees to give out their maximum output. Organizations should provide the best working conditions for its employees in order to get the best out of them (Finlay 2000, p. 68). It takes a lot of effort and resources to motivate and satisfy a disgruntled workforce. The other advantage of having a happy and motivated workforce is the reduction in the turnover cost (Finlay 2000, p. 68).
Employees who are happy will always save the organization from unnecessary costs (Finlay 2000, p. 68). A positive emotional state gives employees the energy to work hard because they will be happy with their work and the organization in general (Finlay 2000, p. 68).
An atmosphere of positivity enhances positive results and success in an organization (Erick & Yvonne 2008, p. 10). It is argued that a leader’s positive emotions are the most transferrable. The other way through which positive emotions can be enhanced in an organization is by creating chains of events that carry positive meanings for others (Burnes 2004, p. 113).
Social and psychological experiments have shown that employees with positive emotions are more helpful than those with neutral emotional states. Organizational field studies indicate that sales people who experience more positive emotions at work are more helpful to their customers (Burnes 2004, p. 113).
The field research also revealed that sales people who exhibit positive emotions tend to attract more customers and in the process making a lot of sales. The reason for this argument is that sales people with positive emotions tend to be more creative, flexible and emphatic (Burnes 2004, p. 113).
This argument shows that being helpful not only develops from having positive emotions but it also produces positive emotions in others. An individual who is helpful to others tends to have a feeling of joy and pride when he or she realizes that their positivity influence the people they interact with (Beer 2000, p. 66).
Positive emotions enables a person to help others and at the same time fuel motivation that can help both presently and in the future (Beer 2000, p. 66). Witnessing and hearing about helpful acts can make employees to experience positive emotions. Onlookers experience the positive emotion of elevation. The tendency sparked by elevation is a general desire to become a better person by performing helpful acts (Beer 2000, p. 66).
Elevated employees do not simply mimic the helpful acts witnessed but creatively consider a wide range of helpful acts. The positive emotion of elevation gives employees the desire to be better for the sake of the organization (Barbara 1998).
The employees who experience helpful acts tend to experience elevation and its beneficial repercussions. There is always a high probability that an employee who witnesses and experiences good deeds will definitely be influenced to start helping others (Barbara 1998).
The elevation cycle can transform an organization into a more benevolent and coordinated place to be (Ashforth & Humphrey 1995, p. 99). Positive emotions expand through organizations, members and customers. Positive emotions produce meaningful relationships among employees and in the process preventing conflicts in the workplace (Ashforth & Humphrey 1995, p. 99).
Facial expressions and mimicry can not be seen as ways of determining whether a person has positive emotions or not. Positive emotions are developed from within and their expression should be sincere without any form of pretence (Ashforth & Humphrey 1995, p. 99). The way an individual behaves in relation to positive emotions is understood and translated by the other individuals that they come cross (Alice 2008).
The emotional state of managers plays a critical role in the success or failure of an organization. As mentioned earlier, leaders who display positive emotions have a great influence on the behavior and attitudes of other employees within the organization (Alice 2008). It is therefore true to say that positive emotions in an organization are linked to the managers.
A manager with an attribute of positive emotions is able to transmit this trait to employees. The level of control and support towards employees is determined by this trait (Alice 2008). Positive emotions determine how employees deal with various situations within the organization.
This development is highly dependant on the leadership traits or skills that managers within an organization possess (Alice 2008). Leadership is a process of symbolic management that involves creating and maintaining shared meanings among followers.
The organization leadership should always evoke positive emotions in the workplace through the use of symbols (Finlay 2000, p. 69). Symbols are known to bring both interactive and emotional responses. Symbol elaboration by managers evokes emotions in an organization. Moreover, managers engage in communication of symbols that are specifically designed to make their employees feel better (Finlay 2000, p. 69).
Employees are normally strengthened when they feel better about themselves. Resistance to change is a common thing in many organizations and it is the responsibility of managers to emphasize the importance of change as early as possible to prepare the employees psychologically for organizational change (Finlay 2000, p. 69).
Managers give employees a sense of trust and understanding by preparing them psychologically for change. This approach enables employees adapt to change as quickly as possible and at the same time making them deal with situations more positively (Vince 1996, p. 20).
It is important for managers to adopt the theory of positive emotions in order to influence organizational change. The behavior and attitudes of managers and employees has to change first before organizational change takes place (Vince 1996, p. 20).
Managers should always be willing to influence positive emotions among employees because anything good or bad begins from the top (Vince 1996, p. 20). The emotions of managers can be transferred easily to employees and this actually determines how employees relate with one another.
The positive emotions of managers encourage creativity in the organization which subsequently improves the level of success in the organization (Vince 1996, p. 20). The emotions displayed by leaders are a critical determinant of their relationship with group members and their ability to communicate emotionally evocative symbols (Beer 2000, p. 66).
Managers who are emotionally positive enhance organizational creativity performance by facilitating group cohesion. It is important for positive emotions to be built and sustained in the entire organization through a healthy emotional climate (Beer 2000, p. 66). Organizational policies and values are normally misinterpreted in the context of face to face interactions.
Managers can identify cues of real and felt emotions among employees. The managers also have the ability to identify positive emotional indicators of employees who are motivated towards achieving personal and organizational goals (Beer 2000, p. 66).
It is a difficult job for management to determine the emotional state of all employees at the same time (Keifer 2002, p. 60). Despite this difficulty, managers need to be aware of their organizational climate all the times. Negative feelings about change can only be improved if managers are aware of their organizational climate (Keifer 2002, p. 60).
Negative feelings can have devastating effects on the performance of an organization. Leaders must have the ability to arouse motivation by appealing to human needs for achievement, affiliation and power (Keifer 2002, p. 60). A good organizational climate decreases the cost of turnover and the resistance of employees to change.
A great organizational climate also improves the quality, creativity and acceptance of risks which make customers to be loyal (Neal 2004, p. 72). The mood and behavior of a leader within an organization have a great influence on the organization’s performance (Neal 2004, p. 72).
There is a powerful chain reaction between a managers’ mood and behaviors which drive up the mood of everyone else within the organization (Neal 2004, p. 72). Managers with high emotional intelligence can create an environment where loyal, intelligent and positive minded employees strive towards achieving organizational goals (Neal 2004, p. 72).
Conclusion
The primary sources of competitive advantage are enhanced by employees with positive emotional states (Zerbe 2008, p. 175). It is also evident from the discussion in this paper that managers with positive emotions can influence the same in many areas of the organization (Zerbe 2008, p. 175).
Employees that work in an organization with a positive climate work in persistent and strong groups where positive emotions are transferred from leaders to all the members within the group (Zerbe 2008, p. 175). Positive organizational behavior results in creativity, success and the ability of an organization to deal with emerging changes in the market (Hatch 2006, p. 40).
Managers should therefore pay more attention on the positive aspects of the organization and focus less on the negative aspects (Hatch 2006, p. 40). This enables employees to feel motivated and therefore leading to growth and development within the organization (Hatch 2006, p. 40). The ability of an organization to deal with the changes that occur in the market makes it more competitive.
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