Research Design Connection: Busting Workplace Anxiety

by Sally Augustin, Ph.D. | July 6th, 2015

Kouchaki and Desai’s research indicates that feeling anxious at work has a range of ramifications. Anxiety “motivates people to pursue their goals, and it keeps employees on task – too much of it can lead to poor performance and deteriorating health…anxiety can have an [negative] impact on employees’ ethics…because anxiety causes people to focus inward and concentrate on acquiring resources – including money – those in its grip are more likely to lie, cheat, or steal than those in healthier mental states. They are also less willing to share information, collaborate, or be proactive.” Ways to cut anxiety mentioned by Kouchaki include “relaxing office furniture…[and] standing desks.” “The Hazards of Workplace Anxiety.” 2015. Kellogg Insight, http://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/blogs/entry/the-hazards-of-workplace-anxiety?utm_source=alumni&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mailer062015. Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive scientist, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesignconnections.com), a monthly subscription newsletter and free daily blog, where recent and classic research in the social, design, and physical sciences …