How Emotions Shape Our Working Lives

Your line manager has criticised you sharply — again. You feel unsettled, angry and sad all at once. The emotions wash over you, and for a while you can barely focus on your work. Emotions are part of the job. They shape how we experience our working day, how we make decisions and how we relate to others. Praise can give us wings; criticism can bring us to a standstill.

Emotions are not unprofessional

Many of us have been taught that feelings have no place at work. But emotions give us vital signals: What matters? What's a threat? Where is it worth investing energy? That's precisely why even uncomfortable feelings aren't simply 'bad'. Positive emotions foster connection and openness. Negative emotions act as warning signals — sharpening our focus and prompting us to act.

In other words: not every good mood is helpful, and not every bad mood is harmful. For creative work, optimism and joy can be a real asset. For careful analysis, resolving conflict or spotting risks, more critical feelings can be just as useful. What matters most is not whether we feel something, but what we do with it.

The workplace as an emotional echo chamber

Emotions are contagious. When nervousness, cynicism or irritability dominate a team, everyone tends to feel it. Equally, calm, confidence and appreciation can spread just as readily. Emotions therefore have a real impact on behaviour and performance. Managers play a particularly important role here, as their mood and manner often have an outsized effect on the team around them.

When emotions make us ill

If a negative emotional state persists because the underlying pressure cannot be processed, it can — in the worst cases — make us ill. The WHO describes burnout as a phenomenon arising from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It manifests as exhaustion, growing mental distance from one's work and a sense of diminished effectiveness. A safe and healthy working environment reduces tension and conflict, and improves engagement, performance and productivity. Emotions, then, are not merely a private matter — they shape our working lives too.

You can influence your emotions

The good news is that emotions are not fixed. That means there is help available if you're struggling with difficult emotional states or if they have begun to affect your health.

We recommend our web app 'Etwas tun?!'. It helps you manage negative emotions more effectively, with support from Ella — our digital companion for mental health at work. With our AI avatar, you can talk through stressful moments on the job.