Workplace anger, a common emotional experience, can arise from various triggers like unfair treatment or work overload.
Individuals cope with anger differently, employing strategies such as rumination, where they dwell on the anger-provoking event, or confrontation, where they address the issue directly.
Ruminative coping often involves replaying the event in one’s mind and analyzing the situation, while confrontative coping may involve expressing anger or seeking solutions.
Umbra, R., & Fasbender, U. (2025). The daily relations between workplace anger, coping strategies, work outcomes, and workplace affiliation. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1538914. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1538914
Key Points
- Workplace anger does not always have a negative impact on work outcomes.
- The relationship between workplace anger and work outcomes is influenced by coping strategies.
- Ruminative coping is associated with negative work outcomes, while confrontative coping is associated with positive work outcomes.
- Workplace affiliation disposition moderates the relationship between workplace anger, coping strategies, and work outcomes.
- The findings suggest the need to expand affective events theory to include coping strategies and employee-level factors.
Rationale
Workplace anger has traditionally been viewed as a negative emotion that can lead to adverse work outcomes like resource depletion and hinder goal attainment.
However, recent research suggests that anger can also be adaptive and may not always be detrimental to work performance.
This study addresses the gap in the literature by examining the complex relationship between workplace anger and work outcomes, considering the role of coping strategies and employee dispositions.
The study builds on Affective Events Theory (AET) and cognitive theories of emotion, which suggest that emotions, including anger, can influence work outcomes.
AET posits that negative emotions lead to negative work outcomes, while cognitive theories suggest that coping strategies can mediate this relationship.
This study extends previous research by examining the mediating role of ruminative and confrontative coping strategies and the moderating role of workplace affiliation disposition in the relationship between workplace anger and work outcomes.
Method
The study used a two-week daily diary design with an experience sampling approach.
Procedure
- Participants were asked to complete three surveys per workday, at 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM, and 3:30 PM.
- The surveys measured workplace anger, coping strategies, resource depletion, and goal attainment.
- Workplace affiliation disposition was measured at baseline.
Sample
- 214 full-time employees
- 60% female
- Average age: 34.83 years
- Diverse industries and occupations
Measures
- Workplace Anger: Measured using four items from Spielberger et al.’s (1983) scale.
- Ruminative Coping: Measured using the 3-item scale by Li et al. (2019).
- Confrontative Coping: Measured using a scale by Folkman et al. (1986).
- Workplace Resource Depletion: Measured using three items from Lanaj et al.’s (2014) scale.
- Workplace Goal Attainment: Measured using two items from Judge et al.’s (2005) scale and one additional item.
- Workplace Affiliation Disposition: Measured using the 4-item scale by Van Yperen et al. (2014).
Statistical Measures
- 2-level multilevel modeling with random intercepts and slopes
- Bayesian inference
Results
- There was a positive relationship between workplace anger and both ruminative and confrontative coping.
- Ruminative coping was positively related to workplace resource depletion, but confrontative coping was not.
- Ruminative coping was negatively related to workplace goal attainment, and confrontative coping was positively related to workplace goal attainment.
- There was a positive indirect relationship between workplace anger and workplace resource depletion through ruminative coping, but not through confrontative coping.
- There was a negative indirect relationship between workplace anger and workplace goal attainment through ruminative coping, but not through confrontative coping.
- Workplace affiliation disposition moderated several relationships between workplace anger, coping strategies, and work outcomes.
Insight
This study provides new insights into the relationship between workplace anger and work outcomes.
The findings challenge the traditional view that workplace anger is always detrimental by demonstrating that it can be positively related to goal achievement when employees use confrontative coping strategies.
This highlights the importance of considering coping strategies in AET and understanding how employees manage their emotions at work.
The study also extends previous research by showing the moderating role of workplace affiliation disposition, suggesting that employee-level factors should be integrated into organizational research models.
Future research could explore other coping strategies and employee dispositions that may influence the relationship between workplace anger and work outcomes.
Implications
The findings have implications for practitioners and policymakers. Organizations can promote adaptive coping strategies, such as confrontative coping, through training and development programs.
This can help employees manage their anger constructively and improve their work performance.
Additionally, organizations can foster a positive work environment that supports employee affiliation, which can buffer the negative effects of workplace anger.
However, implementing these findings may be challenging due to resource constraints or organizational culture.
Strengths
This study had several methodological strengths, including:
- Large sample size with diverse demographics and industries
- Experience sampling method for capturing daily fluctuations
- Use of established and reliable measures
- Robust statistical analysis using Bayesian inference
Limitations
This study also had several limitations, including:
- Self-reported data may be subject to bias
- Limited generalizability to unemployed populations and non-work settings
- The study did not explore all possible coping strategies or employee dispositions
Socratic Questions
- How might the findings of this study differ if a different sample was used (e.g., a sample of employees from a single organization)?
- What are some other coping strategies that could be explored in future research on workplace anger?
- How can organizations create a work environment that supports both confrontative coping and employee affiliation?
- What are the ethical considerations of encouraging employees to express anger in the workplace?
- How can the findings of this study be applied to different cultural contexts?
