Workplace emotions and motivation: Toward a unified approach

Affect and emotions play a key role in motivational processes, working together to make sense of one’s experience and to guide behavior. Until recently, however, research on motivation in the workplace has advanced largely independently from research exploring the role of emotions and affect at work. To better understand the human experience of work, we must explore the connections between these aspects as they influence thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to work. In this chapter we describe theory and research that supports the ultimate development of a unified perspective; namely, an approach that takes into account how emotional experiences affect and interact with motivational forces to influence work behavior and its outcomes.