Exhibiting emotional flexibility to alleviate employee hateful emotions and elevate their justice perceptions

Purpose Using the broaden-and-build theory, this study aims to examine whether (1) employees have hateful emotional responses and think the overall performance review is fair at different levels of managers’ emotional flexibility; and (2) the difference in employees’ hateful emotional responses mediates the relationship between managers’ emotional flexibility and employees’ perceptions of performance review fairness across flexibility conditions. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 110 Pakistani undergraduates participated in the seven waves of online scenario-based experimental research. For a one-way repeated-measures analysis, the general linear model was used, and for a two-condition within-subject mediational path analysis, the mediation and moderation analysis for repeated measures (MEMORE) was used. Findings Employees experience a high level of performance review justice and a low level of hateful emotional responses when managers are more emotionally flexible during the meeting, and vice versa. A manager’s emotional flexibility may also prevent employees from responding hatefully during performance reviews, which in turn makes them perceive the overall performance review as just. Originality/value The study expands on the thought–action repertoire and personal resources, supporting the broaden-and-build theory. The research applies this notion to performance reviews, which are an emotional experience for managers and employees. The study timely addresses organizations’ need for performance management system overhauls by suggesting managers to use emotional flexibility until an alternate performance review system is available.