3 out of 4 Canadians use ‘poker face’ while in the office (+ 3 tips to help you keep your calm)

Working with colleagues means managing your emotions

While the recent PokerStars survey highlighted a number of reasons for maintaining emotional equilibrium, it also highlighted the biggest difficulties to consistently applying a ‘poker face.’

For instance, 36% of survey respondents reported that facial expressions were the most challenging 'tell' to control in the workplace, while 35% believed tone of voice to be the biggest challenge to control, followed by 26% who reported confidence as the biggest blocker.

The biggest concern, however, is that the growing number of employees who feel is necessary to maintain composure, with more than a third (37%) stating that they’d relied on ‘poker face’ on a weekly basis (or more), over the last year.

"In both [the work and gaming] environments, a state of emotional frustration or anger can lead to poor decisions and reckless interactions,” says Shaban. “My advice would be to recognise what specific situations or interactions trigger strong emotions [and] understanding [how to respond to] these triggers [to] help you prepare and respond more calmly."

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Biggest reasons for maintaining composure in the office

According to the survey data, there were 13 common reasons to prompt employees to manage their emotions, as work, including:

1. Conflict with colleagues (32%)
2. Tight work deadlines (29%)
3. Working with strong personalities or those with strong opinions (29%)
4. Dealing with clients (26%)
5. Public speaking/ presenting (26%)
6. Meeting the demands put on me to get things done (22%)
7. Making my voice heard/speaking up (20%)
8. Asking for a raise/promotion (19%)
9. Presenting my work or ideas to others/speaking to groups (15%)
10. Asking for help (15%)
11. Receiving or giving feedback (13%)
12. Having/giving a performance review (11%)
13. Dealing with suppliers (7%)

3 tips to help you strengthen your emotional resilience and keep that poker face

"Whether you're in a salary negotiation or presenting to the board, mastering your emotions is like having a winning hand in poker," explains human resources (HR) expert Angela Champ.

"In today's fast-paced professional environment, the ability to maintain composure under pressure is not just beneficial, it's essential. Developing this skill requires a personalized set of tools, from mindful pauses to perspective-taking, that you can apply in any challenging workplace scenario. By learning to control your tells, you'll not only navigate tough situations more effectively and enhance your overall influence and impact within the organization."

To help, Champ offers three easy tips that anyone can use:

• Shake it out: Stand up and physically shake it off or go for a walk. The act of moving can help reset your nervous system, calm extreme emotions and help you feel more centred and balanced.
• Sing it out: Studies show that music can prompt the release of feel-good emotions. When feeling emotionally charged, listening to a song that makes you feel happy or helps you release emotions can certainly help.
• Break out: One final option is to take a break. Stop the conversation or task and do something else. During this time, try and get some perspective. Will this problem matter in five months or five years? Sometimes a break to see the bigger picture can help calm extreme emotions.

Survey methodology

The PokerStars survey asked 1,389 Canadians over age 18 who were currently or previously employed full-time. The online survey was conducted through Maru Public Opinion between August 22 and 23, 2024.

— with files from Romana King