1. Perceived Organizational Support, emotional
reactions and conflict management: A diary study in
Greek professionals
Maria Simosi m.simosi@aegean.gr
University of the Aegean, Product & Systems Design Engineering Department

2. Aim of the study
delineate specific types of workplace events that were linked to
specific positive and negative emotions
better understand the circumstances leading to positive/
negative affective reactions
improve employee’s emotional quality of life
minimize destructive responses

3. Definition of related concepts
POS: general perception of the extent to which their work organization
values their contribution and cares about their well-being (Eisenberger, 1994)
POS events as affective events: incidents that stimulate appraisal
of and emotional reaction to a job related agent, object or occurrence.
Emotions: discrete affective state that is perceived by the individual
to have an identifiable cause and/or referent (Mignonac & Herrbach,2004)
positive emotional reactions are likely to arise from interactions
which favor the individual’s goals and values, while negative
emotions may be generated by interactions which inhibit such goals
and interests (Lazarus, 1991)
various classification schemes
(Warr, 1990. Diener, 1984. Van Katwyk et al. 2000)

4. Definition of related concepts
Conflict Management:
Constructive behaviour: actively tried to negotiation a solution
(e.g. accept an apology, discuss the event etc..)
Aggressive/confronting behaviour: shouting/ protesting/ arguing
Withdrawal: silent treatment, avoiding/ ignoring the other person

5. Research questions
identify various types of POS events
investigate similarities/ differences amongst employees’ emotions
as instigated by POS events
investigate similarities/ differences amongst conflict
management behaviour emanating by negative POS events

6. Diary study
“Diaries are designed to capture “the little experiences of everyday
life that fill most of our working time and occupy the vast majority of
our conscious attention” (Wheeler & Reiss, 1991)
Instructions:
Please recall – if any – an incident occuring today in your workplace
when you felt that (a) you either experienced organizational support or
b) lack of organizational support. Please write down the description of
the incident (what was all about, how each person involved behaved).
Please describe the emotions you have experienced during/throughout
the incident described above.

7. Method - Sample
54 employees x 5 days 280 events
Sector: 40% public 60% private
Positive POS events: 49.1 Negative POS events: 50.9%
responses were sorted out in categories, according to their
thematic similarity

8. Analysis – Categories of events
Positive POS events Negative POS events
Interpersonal treatment Interpersonal mistreatment
(support on personal issues) (disrespect, rudeness, communication problems)
Recognition Lack of recognition
(praise, feedback, challenging task)
Work conditions Work stressors
(disorganization, lack of supervision., task conflict)
Acts of colleagues Immoral behaviour/ unfairness
(asking to cheat, favouritism, injustice, not carrying
one’s share of workload)
categories derived from examination of participants’ descriptions &
relevant literature
inter-rater reliability: 88% for event types. 81% for affective reactions

9. Analysis – Categories of emotions
Anger: angry, disgusted
Sadness: disappointed, unhappy, depression
Frustration: worried, embarrassed
Hurt/ deceived
Fear
Happiness
Affection/ care
Security
Relaxation

10. Positive incidents – Positive emotional reactions
Emotions
Incidents Happiness Affection/care Security Relaxation
Recognition 28 9 3 5
Interpersonal treatment 6 13 6 7
Work conditions 25 4 8 9
Acts of colleagues 5 3 1 6
Chi-square (9, p< .002)= 26,36

11. Negative incidents- Emotional reactions
Emotions
Incidents Anger Frustration Sadness Hurt Fear
Lack of recognition 11 5 9 5 3
Interpersonal mistreatment 5 5 11 9 2
Work stressors 6 30 5 5 9
Immoral beh/unfairness 4 3 5 2 3
Chi-square (12, p< .00)= 42,67

12. Negative emotions – Conflict management
Conflict Management
Emotions Constructive Confrontation Withdrawal
Anger 5 16 5
Frustration 12 25 6
Sadness 3 1 26
Hurt 0 3 18
Fear 0 2 15

13. Findings
 significant difference in emotional reactions, depending on type of POS
incident
 significant difference in conflict management, depending on emotion
experienced
 categories of anger events that are consistent with prior research on this
emotion

14. Analysis – Emotion intensity
 Differences in the intensity of negative emotions depending on tenure:
younger employees -> more intense emotional reactions
“I had really worked hard for that project: day & night [..] the least I
was expecting was to offer me the day off.. Instead, he told me that he
told me that what I’ve done was not that much of an effort.. that it was
a quite easy thing to do. [..] I became furious.. all this hard work.. and
nothing in return.. I simply cannot digest it.. I’ m so furious..” (Man
public sector, 1,5 years of tenure)
older employees -> more passive emotional reactions
“I was the one who volunteered to help so that the department would get
out of the difficult situation.. I know that the least the supervisor could do
is to thank me in front of the rest of the team. However, nothing of this
sort happened.. This is sad I guess.. so sad.. I’m so much used to it.. I
feel very tired with all this situation.. But in the end of the day, I say to
myself ‘never mind!“ (Woman, public sector, 18 years of tenure)

15. Analysis – Emotion trajectories of anger incidents
 Differences in the evolution of anger incidents depending on tenure:
increasing amount of anger in younger employees -> outrage
“I asked my supervisor’s help.. I needed some clarifications from
her….but she wouldn’t give them to me.. I started getting frustrated..
the work could not be done.. However, I tried to keep on being focused
on what I was doing.. Next day, I kept on asking for more information
but she would keep ignoring me..I became furious.. no way to continue
with what I was doing” (Woman, public sector, 2years of tenure)
anger giving way to sadness in older employees
“I was assigned an unfairly amount of work, as compared to the rest of
the team.. I got angry but what could I say? [..] As yesterday, I tried to
explain her once again why this distribution of work was not fair.. By the
end of the day, I feel increasingly tired.. In fact I’m exhausted..“(Woman,
public sector, 15 years of tenure)

16. Limitations & Implications
Limitations
 single-source
Implications
 role of tenure in the experience and expression of emotions
Thank you!