Men are more emotional in the workplace than women, according to a new UK research released by online job board, Totaljobs.
The study of 2,000 UK workers and 250 line managers highlights the difference on the emotional triggers between men and women. Findings suggest that men are twice as likely to get emotional because their ideas were ignored or because they received criticism.
The survey further reveals that men were almost three times more likely to experience an emotional event due to unpleasant situations, such as a project going over budget, missing a deadline or getting cancelled.
Data identifies a clear difference in the ways men and women express their emotions in the workplace. Totaljobs found out that while men are twice as likely to raise their voice or even resign from their jobs due to their emotions, women are more than twice as likely to cry at work. Based on the survey, 41% of women admit they have cried in the workplace compared with 20% of men.
“Men and women are socialised to display emotions differently, especially at work. Men are more likely to report experiencing emotions associated with power, such as anger or pride,” says Terri Simpkin, a senior lecturer in leadership and corporate education at Anglia Ruskin University.
“In fact, emotions and power are inextricably linked. Not being heard is congruent with lacking in status. Similarly, sadness is associated with a lack of power in social settings such as the workplace,” she added.
However, many employees share that they are not able to express their emotions at work at all, with 59% of workers admitting they have felt emotions at work but expressing them is a different story. A third of the participants stated they hide their emotions using “a positive face” at work.
“Workplaces are environments of social expectations. There are ‘display rules’ associated with when, where and how much emotion can be shared and by whom. This is one reason why people will suppress their emotions in the workplace: they fear being judged,” said Simpkin.
