The Journal Gazette: Venting about unfair boss detrimental

Originally found at The Journal Gazette, by Lisa Green

Think twice before you badmouth the boss.

Is it solving anything? Probably not.

Are you still angry after you get done complaining? Probably.

Research by a team that included an Indiana University professor suggests that when employees talk negatively about unfair supervisors their anger actually increases. They tend to be less effective, turnover increases and there’s less support for company initiatives.

“Our study shows that forgiving is a critical step in moving past unfairness,” said Ryan Outlaw, an assistant professor of management at the Kelley School of Business at IUPUI. “If you can’t move on, you’re less likely to perform your best at work.”

Outlaw was part of the research team that developed a paper titled “Pacification or Aggravation? The Effects of Talking about Supervisor Unfairness."

Co-authors on the paper include Michael Baer of Arizona State University; Jessica Rodell, Jason Colquitt, Kate Zipay and Rachel Burgess of the University of Georgia; and Rashpal Dhensa-Kahlon of the University of Surrey.

The findings were initially published online in the summer of 2017 but included this month in the Academy of Management Journal, an IU spokeswoman said.

Continue reading original at The Journal Gazette.

Learn more about the AOM Scholars and explore their work:

• Michael D. Baer, Arizona State University
• Jessica B. Rodell, University of Georgia
• Rashpal K. Dhensa-Kahlon, University of Surrey
• Jason A. Colquitt, University of Georgia
• Kate P. Zipay, University of Oregon
• Rachel Burgess, University of Georgia
• Ryan Outlaw, Indiana University]''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''