Workplace Anxiety

Being in a prolonged state of anxiety is surely not at all good for an individual’s bodily or mental health?. And doesn’t psychology teach that salivating dogs respond better than cowering / fearful ones and that positive reinforcement shapes behaviour far more effectively than negative? Not sure how the research studies cited dealt with this, but IMHO they should have.

Really interesting reading, thanks Anna

The question I am left with is "Does the study really represent reality?"
By that I mean, has it tracked the effects over a sustained period of time?
I also think it's a tall order for the average manager/employee to manage their own/their subordinates anxiety so that it stays in "the safe zone". I think there are lots of other, evidence based theories of motivation and performance such as Self-determination theory which are harmless and could be employed to create sustained motivation and performance.

I have a real problem with language that uses the term anxiety and portraying it as a strategy to improve performance. Nowhere in my experience of being a squash coach, interviewing an high performance athletes, or working with business professionals over the last 30 years, have I found anxiety a performance enhancing technique, quite the opposite. Anxiety inhibits, not enhances performance.