Surprising new research suggests it can actually be good to feel bad at work, and that feeling good in the workplace can lead to negative outcomes.

The study, edited by University of Liverpool researchers Dirk Lindebaum and Peter Jordan, is the topic of a special issue of the journal Human Relations.

They found that the commonly held assumption that positivity in the workplace produces positive outcomes, while negative emotions lead to negative outcomes, may be in need for reconsideration. This is partly due to this assumption failing to take into account the differences in work contexts that affect outcomes.

For instance, anger does not always lead to negative outcomes and can be used as a force for good through acting upon injustices. In some cases, anger can be considered a force for good if motivated by perceived violations of moral standards.

An employee, for example, could express anger constructively after a manager has treated a fellow worker unfairly.

In such cases, anger can be useful to prevent these acts of injustice from repeating themselves in the future.

Likewise, being too positive in the workplace, rather than resulting in greater well-being and greater productivity, can lead to complacency and superficiality.

One article within the issue also finds that, within team situations, negativity can have a good effect, leading to less consensus and therefore greater discussion amongst workers which enhances team effectiveness.

An interesting contradiction is identified in another study of the special issue.

Here, people derive satisfaction from doing “good” in the context of helplines by providing support to people in times of emotional distress.

However, they are negatively affected by their line of work due to people shunning them in social situations.

适量消极情绪有助于提高工作能力

一项惊人的新研究表明，工作时的消极情绪能带来积极效果，而积极的情绪却可能导致消极结果。

由英国利物浦大学研究人员德克·林登鲍姆和彼得·乔丹编撰的这项研究是《人类关系》杂志的一期特刊的主题。

他们发现，人们普遍认为工作中的积极情绪会产生积极结果，而消极情绪会导致消极结果，这种观点有待重新考量。

部分原因是这一观点没有充分考虑到工作情境的差异对结果的影响。例如，愤怒并不总是带来消极结果，它还可以作为对待不公平现象的正义力量。在某些情况下，因他人违反道德标准而激发的愤怒可认为是正能量。

比如，经理不公正对待同事后，员工表达愤怒是有建设性的。这种情况下，愤怒可以有效阻止此类不公平现象在未来重演。

同样，在工作中过于情绪高涨非但不能带来更好的工作表现及更高的效率，反而会导致自满和浅薄。

特刊中的一篇文章也指出，在团队协作中，消极情绪会产生良好的影响，共识较少的情况会使员工进行更深入的讨论，从而提高团队工作效率。

特刊中另一项研究发现了一个有趣的自相矛盾的事实。

在这项研究中，通过热线服务电话为情绪低落者提供帮助的人，会因做“好事”获得满足感。

然而，由于人们在真实社交场合回避他们，这项工作又对他们产生消极影响。

    Words to Learn 相关词汇

    【假设】

    jiǎshè

    assumption

    something taken for granted; a supposition

    【自满】

    zìmǎn

    complacency

    self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition