The hidden pressure behind responding to a boss's good news

Ever found yourself responding with excitement to a boss' good news, even if you weren't feeling particularly enthusiastic? If you're a subordinate, that pressure to react enthusiastically can feel even greater when the good news is coming from your manager. In the workplace, sharing positive news can have different effects depending on the organizational hierarchy, according to research led by Emily Poulton, an assistant professor of management at Indiana University.

While sharing good news can strengthen relationships and positive emotions overall, Poulton's research shows that the impact becomes more complicated when there's a power difference between the people involved. Managers may feel an emotional boost from sharing their own successes, but subordinates may experience hidden pressure to respond enthusiastically.

The study, published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, explored the effects of supervisors' workplace capitalization on both supervisors and subordinates. Poulton, who became curious about the feeling of sharing good news from a subordinate's perspective, conducted five studies, including experiments and a real-world workplace study.

One experiment involved a fictional bookstore scenario where supervisors shared a tip story. The research found that sharing positive news can boost the manager's energy and willingness to help, but it can also create emotional pressure for subordinates to respond with interest and excitement. The study suggests that managers should be aware of the pressure their conversations can create and be mindful of the imbalance created by organizational hierarchy.