Positive Emotions Help us Perform Better at Work

Kylie Bell explains Barbara Frederickson's "undoing hypothesis" which is about positive emotions' capacity to calm negative emotions. Positive emotions are physically beneficial, calming down stressed hearts. They are also, she says, emotionally contagious. Leaders and managers are vested with the ability to regulate the workplace atmosphere: the tone can be set through an open door policy, friendliness, interest in other people. This flows through to staff wellbeing. They also resolve negative interactions by acknowledging them, allowing them to be heard and collaborating on solutions.

Positive emotions calm down negative emotions (undoing hypothesis) through:

• Soothing physiological response (heart racing)
• Lifting the general workplace mood (saying hello, being friendly)
• Teaching people to listen to each other
• Acknowledging frustrations and blowing off steam
• Constructive ways of sharing problems