Interpersonal emotion regulation while at work: a test of differences

Abstract

This study utilised the interpersonal emotion regulation questionnaire (IERQ) to examine the work environment by determining the interpersonal emotion regulation (IER) of employee's differences based upon employee and supervisor roles. A quantitative study design, utilising social medians was employed to sample 122 managers and non-mangers (n = 122). Testing analysis utilised ordinal regression and ANOVA analyses. The soothing subscale of IERQ was the only significant difference. The implications of the findings conceivably relate to the trainings of employees. The study points to the need for longitudinal studies of interpersonal emotion regulation in the workplace. This study has important implications for the business sector, as there is a lack of literature discerning the importance of the supervisory role with regard to the need for individuals in supervisory roles to regulate their own emotions as well as those of their subordinates. The IERQ has been utilised clinically to study patients. The study is the first, however, that the author is aware of, to utilise the IERQ to test organisational employees' intrinsic and extrinsic interpersonal emotional regulation.