Negativity might just work in the workplace, new research suggests.
A team of analysts at the University of Liverpool said the findings of this study proved feeling low at work could yield positive results, while feeling good can lead to bad results.
"The findings of the studies challenge the widely-held assumption that in the workplace positive emotions generate or engender a positive outcome, and vice versa," Dirk Lindebaum from University of Liverpool, said in a press release.
The researchers stated that being too positive in the workplace results in complacency and superficiality rather than generating greater well-being and productivity. This could be due to the fact that work context significantly influences various outcomes.
Anger will not always lead to a negative outcome; in fact, that emotion could be used as a force against injustices. For example, employees who express anger when they witness their fellow workers being treated unjustly can help prevent such acts from being repeated.
Anger does not supercede negative outcomes and can be used as a force for good by acting upon injustices, the study said. Instead, "anger can be considered a force for good if motivated by perceived violations of moral standards."
In team situations, negativity can reap positive effects, including greater discussion among workers, which enhances team effectiveness, another study noted.
Researchers said these findings shed light on how positive and negative dynamics affect the work environment, and have practical application and relevance in the workplace.
The studies appeared in a special issue of the journal Human Relations.
