Staying Positive Under Pressure: How Passion, Humor, Sharing, and Forgiveness Help

What is it about?

This study investigates when job stress makes employees less willing to engage in organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)—voluntary efforts that go beyond formal duties. Drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory, the authors argue that job stress drains employees’ emotional and physical energy, discouraging them from helping others or taking initiative. Yet, certain personal and social resources can buffer this effect, allowing employees to maintain their discretionary effort even under strain. Survey data from a construction firm in Mexico City show that job stress significantly lowers organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Yet four key resources help counter this effect. Passion for work fuels intrinsic motivation and helping behaviors, while adaptive humor helps employees reframe stress and stay resilient. Peer knowledge sharing offers social support and mutual learning, and a forgiving organizational climate fosters safety, allowing recovery from mistakes and continued extra-role contributions. Together, these personal and contextual resources buffer the harmful impact of stress, enabling employees to sustain OCB even when facing demanding workloads. The findings highlight that both individual traits and supportive work environments help preserve engagement and collaboration under pressure.

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Photo by jose aljovin on Unsplash

Photo by jose aljovin on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is unique in showing how employees draw on multiple interacting resources—passion for work, humor, peer knowledge sharing, and organizational forgiveness—to remain resilient under stress. Grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, it reframes job stress as a chance for resource growth rather than depletion. By integrating emotional, cognitive, and relational resources, the study reveals how these forces form a “resource caravan” that converts strain into energy and engagement, enriching COR theory’s view of workplace well-being. The study is timely amid growing workload pressure and burnout risks. Set in Mexico’s collectivistic culture, where harmony and respect are core values, it shows how humor and forgiveness ease tension and strengthen solidarity. In fast-paced, high-stress settings, sustaining engagement requires more than reducing demands—it depends on nurturing passion, laughter, and empathy. Organizations that foster emotional warmth and peer connection can turn stress into shared resilience and collective vitality.