Emotional Regulation in the Workplace: A Practical Guide -

Let’s imagine a scenario for a moment: You’re in a team meeting and discussing the process of a major project. As an employer, your focus is on meeting the objectives within the allotted timeframe. The project has met most of the necessary milestones thus far, but there’s one element that’s still outstanding.

You decide to raise your concerns and address them to the team member who is directly responsible.

“This task is two weeks overdue,” you state. “What seems to be the holdup?”

You think you’ve taken a neutral approach, but you notice the employee responsible is clenching their jaw and looking at you intensely.

“I’m not the only one with outstanding tasks!” They respond as their face starts to flush. “There have been a lot of unforeseen setbacks. Plus, I was sick last week and missed two days of work. Why are you singling me out? I don’t appreciate it!”

What happened here?

You might conclude the employee is being unreasonable or unprofessional, but what if you dig a little deeper?

You might learn the employee was called out and publicly embarrassed by a former employer, which causes feelings of anxiety when their performance is discussed in a group setting. Or that they’re currently going through a divorce, which has left them emotionally drained and more sensitive to criticism.

Regardless of the underlying factors that are contributing to the reaction, situations like these are an opportunity to prioritize employee emotional regulation skills and put strategies in place to prevent similar outbursts in the future.

Today we’ll be sharing the steps you can take to build resilience amongst your team members and make managing difficult emotions easier for all parties. Let’s get started.

What is Emotional Regulation?

Emotional regulation is the ability to manage and respond to your emotions in a healthy and balanced way. This includes recognizing your feelings, understanding their causes, and controlling how you express them.

Why is Emotional Regulation Important in the Workplace?

Emotional regulation is crucial in the workplace because it directly affects productivity, teamwork, and overall job satisfaction. When employees are able to effectively manage difficult emotions, there are fewer misunderstandings and conflicts, making the office a more pleasant place to be. Plus, being able to handle stress and setbacks without getting overwhelmed empowers your workers to stay productive and think through problems logically.

What are the Signs of Emotional Dysregulation in Employees?

Being able to recognize when an employee is struggling to control their emotions is the first step to implementing a solution.

Here are the top warning signs to look for:

1. Low Tolerance for Stress

Employees might be easily overwhelmed by deadlines or challenging tasks and respond to increased responsibilities with frustration or anxiety.

2. Impulsive Reactions

You may notice employees responding in a sudden and heated way that seems disproportionate to the conversation. They might send emails or messages written in anger, for example, or snap at their coworkers over minor inconveniences.

3. Frequent Interpersonal Conflicts

When there’s a lack of emotional regulation in the workplace, employees struggle to maintain professional relationships with peers, managers, and other associates. They find themselves in the middle of misunderstandings more often and quickly become argumentative when there’s a difference of opinion.

How to Improve Emotional Regulation in the Workplace

1. Prioritize Relationship-Building

How well do your employees really know each other? This is an important question to consider, since we tend to be more compassionate and understanding towards those we’ve bonded with.

Remember, 60-80% of all difficulties in organizations come from strained relationships among employees. You can get ahead of these issues by regularly hosting team building activities and establishing a culture of camaraderie and support.

Activities like scavenger hunts, show and tell lunches, lip sync battles, trivia games, and volunteer days all provide an opportunity for your employees to connect on a deeper level and establish mutual respect.

2. Don’t Assume the Worst

As a corporate leader, it’s your responsibility to ethically guide and manage your employees. Part of doing so effectively is believing in and respecting the people you’ve hired.

When employees display emotional outbursts or fail to respond in a professional manner, it’s important not to assume ill intent. In most cases they’re not trying to sabotage your company or offend the people they work with— they’re simply overwhelmed.

Invite the employee to have a one-on-one conversation with you and gently inquire about how they’re feeling. Ask what circumstances are contributing to their stress or dissatisfaction and help them identify triggers. Then reassure them you’ll address the root cause together.

3. Provide Opportunities to Destress

Handling difficult emotions at work is nearly impossible if employees aren’t given a chance to distance themselves from their work and release any stress or negative emotions— which is why it’s crucial for companies to provide and support these opportunities.

Ideas for stress release in the workplace include:

Designated spaces where employees can unwind (outdoor gardens, designated quiet rooms, etc)
Subsidized fitness programs (gym memberships, yoga passes, etc)
Committing to meaningful meetings (eleminating unnecessary or unproductive practices, setting clear meeting objectives ahead of time, etc)
Offering flexible work schedules
Encourage social initiatives (book clubs, lunchtime board games, company sports teams, etc)

How Mental Health Training Supports Emotional Regulation in the Workplace

We’ve covered the benefits of regulating emotions at work and tips for empowering your team, but did you know corporate mental health training is one of the best ways to achieve your goal?

At Catalyst Mental Health, we provide top-tier mental health training designed to instill emotional resilience in corporate teams. Our approach is rooted in actionable skills and strategies that empower your employees to thrive, even in the face of challenges.

After completing our sessions, your employees walk away with the stress management techniques and problem-solving skills to handle any situation with confidence and composure. Because the ability to overcome adversity is the ability to succeed!