Emotional contagion at work and group performance

The present paper proposes an expanded approach to emotional contagion by: (a) simultaneously considering contagion both absorbed by as well as issued towards others; (b) contextualizing its measure in work settings, as in the Emotional Contagion at Work Scale (ECWS); (c) exploring the differential association of contagion with leaders, colleagues, and customers; (d) studying the role of emotional dynamics in predicting group’s results. Overall, results mainly supported the construct and criterion validity of the ECWS. Furthermore, the findings from our study contribute to (a) disentangle the differential role played by the contagion received from others and issued towards others when explaining group results, (b) simultaneously understand the differential role played by leader, colleagues and customers in contributing to emotional contagion dynamics emerging in specific occupational settings and professions