Newsletter 16 - Problems of anger at work

Anger is often a reaction against what seems unjust. It may be misdirected, so that people focus their anger on something unrelated. If any of your staff are getting angry, look for what they may see as unfair, at work or elsewhere.

An angry reaction is often triggered by fear. People can be afraid of missing a promotion, or of not understanding a new procedure or technology. They may have a general feeling of being out of control of their lives or of being excluded at work. All of these can lead to what seems like irrational anger at small things.

You need to deal in a timely way with outbursts of anger, as they don't belong in the workplace.

Better still, you need to be aware of anger building up in someone and talk to them before an outburst happens. As soon as you notice that one of your staff may be feeling rejected or unfairly treated, talk to them and listen well to what they have to say.

Very often, just being heard helps people to manage their anger and to be able to look at the causes and deal with them. Don't tell people that they're wrong in thinking that way, or that they shouldn't feel angry - it will make matters worse.