Smiles and Frowns are Contagious

The October 2011 issue of SHRM's HR Magazine contains a short article by freelance writer Alice Andors entitled You Can Cry if You Want To. The article is written around several questions such as "Is it okay to cry at work?" and "Does crying at work damage a man's reputation more than a woman's?". You may be surprised at the answers (yes it's okay and no, the opposite is true). The article ends with an answer as to why human resource personnel may be observing more displays of emotion now: "The anxiety level is overwhelming today - anxiety about keeping up with change, parents aging, kids in college, job security, world instability. Tears and anger are byproducts of deep-lying fears and frustrations for both men and women." 

While no one can dispute these are challenging times, what has long been a source of contention is whether true expressions of emotion in the workplace are acceptable? Has the current state of things affected general consensus on the topic?  My view? I agree, in general, with what Andors indicates in the article though I would add this: expression of emotions are acceptable in the workplace so far as they are addressed positively and professionally. Let me explain. In times of stress, productivity may suffer as morale dives. If employees feel they must continually put on a pleasant facade, then the downward spiral of poor morale and dwindling productivity is only encouraged. Conversely, if an expression of anger (and we're not talking "throwing a chair into the vending machine anger", we're talking "I'm visibly upset and I want to address the issue with you anger") or of sadness is apparent - fulfill the role of the bartender. Listen, guide, and encourage.  

Is there a negative to being negative (e.g. displaying emotions construed as negative) in the workplace, though? In Managing Emotions in the Workplace: Do Positive and Negative Attitudes Drive Performance?, Wharton School professor Sigal Barsade's findings are discussed. 

If the company is losing money and experiencing the effects of downsizing, should the manager, feeling stressed and overwhelmed, convey his despair to his workers? Or should the manager try to appear cheerful and act as if nothing is wrong? Barsade says it's possible for the manager to convey emotions that are both authentic and positive, saying something like, "I know you're worried. Things aren't looking good, but you know, we have a way out of this and we can work [on it] together." The employees will appreciate the honesty and take comfort in the optimism, she says.