Emotional expressions affect how coworkers see helpful acts

Helping behaviors can be perceived differently based on how emotions are expressed while helping others.
Helpers who express gratitude and sympathy are more likely to foster trust, future collaboration, and positive relationships, whereas those expressing pride or contempt may have their motives questioned.
The way recipients interpret emotional cues from helpers plays a significant role in deciding whether to trust and reciprocate help; they actively pick up on these signals to infer the helper’s motivations.
Leaders and managers can shape a culture of collaboration by fostering an environment where employees feel genuine gratitude for their colleagues and develop sympathy for others’ challenges, leading to more positive and lasting relationships.
Individuals can benefit from reflecting on their own experiences of receiving help or practicing perspective-taking to foster authentic emotions and social connections, ultimately strengthening workplace relationships and building a more resilient culture of collaboration.

One woman sits at a desk looking up at a coworker leaning over her.

The way people express emotions while helping others can influence whether their assistance is welcomed, resented, or reciprocated, according to new research.

The study, led by Stephen Lee, assistant professor of management at Washington State University’s Carson College of Business, found that helpers who express emotions like gratitude and sympathy are more likely to be seen as having genuine motives and are more likely to foster trust and future collaboration.

Conversely, when helpers display pride or contempt, their motives are often questioned, weakening relationships and reducing the likelihood of reciprocation.

“In the workplace, we often encourage helping behaviors, but not all help is perceived the same way,” Lee says.

“It’s not just whether you help, but how you help—and the emotions you express—that shape how people respond.”

The research paper is coauthored with Michael D. Johnson from the University of Washington and appears in the Academy of Management Journal.

While past research often treated helping behavior as universally positive, the new findings suggest that recipients actively interpret emotional cues when deciding whether to trust and reciprocate help.

“Recipients are not passive; they pick up on emotional signals and use them to infer why someone is helping,” Lee says.

“If they sense the helper is motivated by self-interest or obligation, it changes the way they perceive the help and whether they feel inclined to return the favor.”

The findings were based on three studies and a preliminary pilot study involving working adults and student participants. Participants were asked to either recall real-world helping experiences, take part in an interactive task in a behavioral lab, or respond to a vignette simulating interactions with a coworker.

Across all the studies, socially engaging emotions consistently led to perceptions of prosocial motives, stronger relationships, and greater willingness to reciprocate.

For leaders and managers, the study highlights the role of emotional expressions in shaping a culture of collaboration. Rather than encouraging helping behavior for its own sake, Lee recommends fostering a workplace environment where employees feel genuine gratitude for their colleagues and develop a natural sense of sympathy for others’ challenges.

“Helping that stems from gratitude or concern for others is more likely to create positive, lasting relationships,” Lee says.

“If leaders can model those kinds of emotions in how they help their teams, it sets the tone for a more supportive and engaged workplace.”

At the individual level, employees can also benefit by reflecting on their own experiences of receiving help or by practicing perspective-taking—approaches that naturally foster more authentic emotions and social connections.

“When we express genuine gratitude or sympathy, we’re not just benefiting ourselves,” Lee says. “We’re strengthening our workplace relationships and building a more resilient culture of collaboration.”

Source: Washington State University

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Q. How do emotional expressions affect how coworkers perceive helpful acts?

A. Emotional expressions can influence whether their assistance is welcomed, resented, or reciprocated.

Q. What emotions do helpers who express genuine motives tend to foster in their relationships with others?

A. Helpers who express gratitude and sympathy are more likely to foster trust and future collaboration.

Q. How do recipients of help interpret emotional cues when deciding whether to trust and reciprocate the help?

A. Recipients actively pick up on emotional signals and use them to infer why someone is helping.

Q. What happens if a recipient senses that the helper is motivated by self-interest or obligation?

A. It changes the way they perceive the help and whether they feel inclined to return the favor.

Q. How can leaders foster a culture of collaboration in their workplace?

A. Leaders can model genuine emotions like gratitude and sympathy when helping their teams, setting the tone for a more supportive and engaged workplace.

Q. What is one way employees can benefit from reflecting on their own experiences of receiving help?

A. Employees can practice perspective-taking to naturally foster more authentic emotions and social connections.

Q. How do emotional expressions impact the likelihood of reciprocation in helping behaviors?

A. Helping that stems from gratitude or concern for others is more likely to create positive, lasting relationships.

Q. What role does emotional expression play in shaping a workplace culture?

A. Emotional expressions can shape a culture of collaboration by influencing how people respond to helpful acts.

Q. How do past research findings on helping behavior differ from the new study’s findings?

A. Past research often treated helping behavior as universally positive, whereas the new findings suggest that recipients actively interpret emotional cues when deciding whether to trust and reciprocate help.

Q. What is the recommended approach for leaders to encourage helpful behaviors in their workplace?

A. Leaders should foster a workplace environment where employees feel genuine gratitude for their colleagues and develop a natural sense of sympathy for others’ challenges.