Keep Workplace Anger Under Control
"Just get out of the way! I want this done now. If you can't get it done, I'll do it myself," screamed the manager to a worker in his department. The manager had procrastinated all week long, taking his usual two hour lunches, and was suddenly raising the blood pressure of all the workers in the office by trying to rush the job through at the end of the day.
Does this sound like your workplace? You're not alone.
Several recent news stories have cited studies suggesting that workplace anger is a significant problem for employees. One study, entitled "Workplace Incivility: The Target's Eye View," reported that fifty two percent of surveyed employees reported losing work time worrying about workplace rudeness. Twenty two percent reported deliberately decreasing their work effort in response to such rudeness, and as many as twelve percent told researchers that they quit their job to avoid the perpetrator. Although men and women equally were recipients of workplace rudeness, men reportedly instigated rude or disrespectful incidents 70 percent of the time according to study authors.
In another related study, some twenty five percent of workers responding to a telephone survey reported that workplace incidents contributed to anger at work. The most common cause of job anger, according to survey respondents was the actions of supervisors and managers. Other stress factors, according to survey respondents were rude customers, uncooperative coworkers, heavy workload, and tight deadlines.
At its worst, such incidents can erupt into workplace violence. The frequency of such incidents has lead to the coining of a new term, "going postal," a reference to various incidents of workplace violence occurring at postal facilities.
So how can we better prevent and control incidents that can lead to workplace anger?
Here are some tips to help prevent workplace incidents from erupting out of control.
• Encourage all managers and supervisors to participate in communications training which focuses on achieving constructive solutions to workplace problems.
• Emphasize use of courtesy and respect in all communications. Explain what needs to be done when and by whom. Even in emergency communication situations, urgency is often appropriate, but disrespect is never necessary.
• Train customer service and sales personnel on effective ways to deal with upset customers. Experts suggest, stay calm, get the facts, and find solutions to the customer's problem.
• Conduct disciplinary discussions calmly in a private meeting area without making a public display of authority embarrassing an individual in front of co-workers.
• Show recognition and appreciation for the extra efforts of workers during a "crunch period."
• Consider use of upward or 360 degree performance rating schemes which permit employees an opportunity to rate superiors.
• Consider use of an employee attitude survey to elicit employee concerns and opinions about company policies and practices.
The bottom line is this: consider that old cliche, "What goes around - comes around." Remember that your business accomplishes its results through the efforts of its employees. If you fail to treat your employees fairly and respectfully, work output is affected.
William S. Hubbartt is president of Hubbartt & Associates, a St. Charles, IL consulting firm specializing in employee compensation, employee handbooks, personnel policies and supervisory training. (www.Hubbartt.com) Mr. Hubbartt is author of The New Battle Over Workplace Privacy, published by AMACOM Books.
