Hakuhodo Institute of Sei-katsu-sha Anticipation's 'Emotion Hack Project' and Osaka University Conduct Survey on Workplace Emotions

The 'Emotion Hack Research Project' under the Hakuhodo Institute of Sei-katsu-sha Anticipation (Gasso Giken), part of Hakuhodo Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Kenji Nagura), conducted a 'Survey on Emotions in the Workplace' in collaboration with Professor Yoko Yamada (Sociology) of Osaka University. The survey targeted 661 employed men and women aged 20–59 nationwide.

In modern society, there is a growing trend where individuals attempt to control or efficiently manage their own emotions, as seen in practices like mindfulness. This research defines this trend as 'Emotion Hacking.' Based on the concept of 'Emotional Capitalism,' Professor Yamada's area of expertise, the study quantitatively verified the reality of 'Emotional Capitalization'—the dynamics through which companies, society, or individuals utilize human emotions as capital with economic and cultural value. The analysis particularly focused on comparing emotions in urban areas (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Aichi) versus other regions (39 other prefectures).

Key Survey Findings Summary: 1. Among men and women aged 20–59 nationwide, 'controlling emotions' even when experiencing negative feelings in the workplace is being normalized as an implicit rule. 2. Nearly 70% of respondents said they 'want to work with people who are good at expressing positive emotions in the workplace.' 3. On the other hand, 60% of respondents are 'tired of expressing only positive emotions' or feel 'there is no place to vent negative emotions in the workplace.' 4. Two seemingly contradictory sentiments coexist: 'I don't want to bring emotions to work' and 'I believe there are jobs that cannot be done without emotions.' This indicates a desire not just to suppress but to utilize emotions. 5. In urban areas, there is a stronger tendency for emotions to be utilized in labor compared to other regions.

Detailed Results: - 72.2% of workers answered that 'controlling emotions is part of the job.' - 63.4% answered that 'people who are good at suppressing negative emotions and expressing positive ones are evaluated highly.' These perceptions were notably higher in urban areas (+6.4 points for the latter). - While many prefer working with positive colleagues, 58.3% admitted they are 'honestly tired of suppressing negative emotions and expressing positive ones,' particularly in urban centers (+6.8 points). - Regarding the expression of emotions, 64% agreed that some jobs require emotions, yet a similar percentage preferred not to bring emotions to the workplace, showing a state of flux between suppressing and leveraging emotional assets.