Emotional processes, leadership, gender and workplace affect in interdisciplinary teams

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of emotional skills and gender in the workplace affect through non-hierarchical level and multilevel analyses. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires completed by 19 directors and 128 subordinates working in interdisciplinary teams of Centers of Educational and Counselling Support. At non-hierarchical level, higher-order emotional skills (use of emotions and cognitive reappraisal) were positively related to positive affect in the workplace. Negative affect was negatively associated with the ability to regulate emotions and positively associated with the strategy of emotional suppression. From the multilevel analyses, cognitive reappraisal was a significant predictor for both positive and negative affect (inversed) of subordinates. Gender differences were observed in multilevel analyses. We also explored possible tensions between emotional competencies and emotional outcomes (workplace affect) at non-hierarchical and managerial level in interdisciplinary teams. We suggest training programs that promote group emotional empowerment and focus on higher-order emotional skills. At managerial level, we suggest training programs that penetrate cognitive reappraisal of emotions since this is an emotion regulation strategy that promotes safer emotional affect in the workplace.