Clinically reviewed by Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA, Chief Clinical Officer, Calm
Workplaces are emotional environments. Deadlines, collaboration, change, and pressure can all trigger strong responses, which is normal. But when emotions start to disrupt communication, performance, or team morale, it may be a sign that employees need support for emotional regulation.
Recognizing the early signs of poor emotional regulation can help prevent bigger issues like burnout, conflict, or disengagement. Whether you’re noticing these patterns in yourself, a colleague, or your team, awareness is the first step toward building a healthier, more resilient workplace. Before exploring common patterns of dysregulation at work, let’s quickly define what emotional regulation means and why it plays such an essential role in how people show up on the job.
What is emotional regulation?
Emotional regulation is the ability to recognize, manage, and respond to your emotions in thoughtful, constructive ways. It doesn’t mean suppressing how you feel. It means staying grounded enough to choose your response, even when stress runs high.
Why emotional regulation at work matters
In the workplace, emotional regulation supports clear communication, collaboration, and decision-making. It helps people manage pressure without becoming reactive or shutting down. When it’s missing, even small challenges can feel overwhelming, and team dynamics often suffer.
Poor emotional regulation isn’t always loud or obvious. Sometimes it shows up quietly, through withdrawal, frustration, or disengagement. Knowing what to look for can help you respond with empathy and support rather than judgment.
Related: How to Improve Emotional Resilience at Work
6 common signs of poor emotional regulation at work
1. Reactivity in conversations
Quick emotional reactions, like snapping during a meeting or responding defensively, can signal difficulty managing stress in the moment. These outbursts often stem from unprocessed emotions rather than the situation itself.
Try this: Encourage a pause before responding. A simple breathing technique or a moment of reflection can help shift from a reaction to intentional communication.
Explore: 5 Steps Employees Can Take to Reduce Stress in the Moment
2. Difficulty handling feedback
If someone shuts down or becomes overly self-critical after receiving feedback, it may reflect challenges with emotional processing. Feedback is part of growth, but without regulation, it can feel threatening rather than helpful.
Try this: Frame feedback as a shared learning opportunity. Make space for reflection rather than immediate response, and emphasize progress over perfection.
3. Withdrawing or shutting down
Not all signs are outwardly visible. Emotional dysregulation can lead to withdrawal, avoidance, or a sudden drop in participation. These behaviors may be attempts to manage overwhelm internally.
Try this: Check in privately and without pressure. Ask open-ended questions like, “How are you doing, really?” and give space for a thoughtful response.
4. Mood swings or irritability
Frequent mood shifts, increased irritability, or an undercurrent of tension can indicate emotional strain. These patterns often emerge when someone is carrying unspoken stress or struggling to reset after a difficult moment.
Try this: Encourage brief, regular resets throughout the day. Even 60 seconds of breathing or a walk around the block can help regulate nervous system activity.
5. Perfectionism or overcontrol
A constant need to get everything “just right” may be less about high standards and more about emotional discomfort with uncertainty. Overcontrolling behavior is often a coping mechanism for internal stress.
Try this: Help set clear expectations and normalize flexibility. Encourage progress over perfection and celebrate small wins to reduce pressure.
6. Low motivation or burnout
Emotional exhaustion can lead to a loss of focus, motivation, or interest in work. If someone seems disengaged or apathetic, it could be a sign that their emotional capacity is depleted.
Try this: Support recovery, not just productivity. Encourage time off, lighten the load where possible, and acknowledge the emotional toll of prolonged stress.
Read: How to Tackle Burnout in Your Organization
What these signs might be telling you
These behaviors are often protective responses to unmanaged stress, unspoken pressure, or emotional fatigue. They’re not signs of failure, but signals that someone may need support, recovery time, or new coping tools.
Rather than pushing through or correcting behavior at the surface, it’s important to ask what might be driving it.
How managers can support emotional regulation at work
- Check in regularly without an agenda, and listen with curiosity.
- Normalize breaks and recovery time as part of a productive workday.
- Model emotional awareness by openly naming and managing your own stress.
- Create space for mental health tools, whether through structured programs or flexible habits.
By responding with empathy and practical support, teams can shift from reactivity to resilience.
How Calm Health can help
Poor emotional regulation at work isn’t always easy to spot, but the signs are often there. Recognizing them early is a decisive step toward building healthier communication, stronger teams, and more sustainable performance. With the right tools and support, emotional regulation can shift from a challenge to a strength.
Calm Health provides resources to help employees and leaders support their emotional and mental well-being. Our guided programs draw on mindfulness practices and a range of evidence-based therapy models — such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy — to help individuals:
- Strengthen emotional awareness
- Navigate stress with more clarity
- Develop habits that support emotional well-being
Each practice is short, accessible, and designed to fit into the rhythm of the workday. Whether you’re supporting a team or working on your own resilience, Calm Health makes it easier to build emotional regulation into everyday life.
