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Work rage
We all get annoyed or frustrated at work from time to time - you may have even lost your temper. Usually this is nothing more than a quick blast to blow off some steam. But for some people, anger can become a much more serious issue. Problem anger can be extremely damaging in the workplace, causing dissatisfaction and tension among employees, ill health and even violence.1
What is anger?
Anger is one of our core human emotions. It’s played a vital role in the evolution and survival of the human race. It gets your body ready so that you can react to a threat (real or perceived) – the fight or flight response. When it’s appropriate, anger is an extremely powerful tool. However, under the wrong circumstances, it can be destructive and lead to aggression or even violence.1
What makes us angry?
Common anger triggers include:1
- interruptions when under pressure to complete a task
- feeling disregarded, undervalued or ignored
- being treated unfairly
- feeling powerless or helpless
- being lied to or deceived
- being verbally or physically assaulted
However, what makes one person angry doesn’t necessarily cause the same response in another. It’s thought that how you respond to anger triggers is a culmination of all the different influences and experiences you have had in your life.1 This explains why anger sometimes occurs in situations which most of us would deem inappropriate or irrational.
We're all getting angrier
A recent report by the Mental Health Foundation concludes that, in general, we’re all getting angrier.1 Their survey found that more than one in four people worry about how their anger makes them feel, almost a third of people have a close friend or family member who has difficulty controlling their anger, and more than one in 10 admit to having trouble controlling their own anger.1
One theory to explain this increase is that humans haven’t evolved as fast as society has, and our bodies aren’t yet accustomed to the frustration, noise, crowds and general agitations caused by modern living.1
Anger in the workplace
Unfortunately, anger is an all too common emotion in the workplace. Whether it’s the result of friction between employees or an over spill from troubles at home, it can have a harmful effect on you and those around you. Research has found that over 45 percent of people regularly lose their temper at work, lashing out at computer screens or abusing colleagues.1 Perhaps more shockingly, it’s estimated that one in five workers in the UK suffers violence at work.1
There are also the monetary costs to consider. Work-related stress accounts for one third of all cases of sickness absence in the UK each year.3 Problem anger undoubtedly contributes to this.
Anger management
Anger management is a form of counselling and/or training that helps people to cope with and control their anger. It’s for anyone whose anger is affecting their relationships, work, social life or health.
Psychological treatments such as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and talking therapies, allow you to examine your behaviour and talk through past hurts and unresolved feelings. It also arms you with strategies to help you cope.2
Martin Sabath, a counsellor at Bupa Wellness Psychological Services, regularly helps people deal with problem anger, “Counsellors are trained to listen to problems and give advice in a non-judgemental way to help put things into perspective. It can really help to talk about your feelings with someone who isn’t involved.”
He encourages people to try to understand their behaviour by asking, “Is it really in your best interests to lose your temper at this moment? How would you feel about yourself afterwards? Is there a better way to get heard by the other person?” Anger management training focuses on helping people to develop new ways of dealing with their anger, as well as teaching assertiveness skills.
Tackling anger in the workplace
So, how can you deal with problem anger in your workplace? According to the Mental Health Foundation report, raising awareness is key.1 Running awareness campaigns will help to get the message across to all your staff, even those who may feel embarrassed or ashamed of how they feel or behave. Other ways to tackle problem anger include:
- giving all employees access to employee assistance programmes (EAPs)
- offering counselling services1
- running anger management courses1
The impact of anger on health and wellbeing
Prolonged or suppressed anger has been linked to several physical and mental health problems, including:
- high blood pressure2
- digestive problems2
- depression1
- eating disorders2
- bullying behaviour2
- addiction to drugs, alcohol and cigarettes2
- self-harming1
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1 Big Brother bullying uncomfortably common at work. TUC. http://www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_ s/tuc-12880-f0.cfm. Date accessed 21 February 2007.
2 New report shows 20% of UK workers have been bullied over the last 2 years – with highest levels reported in the public sector. CIPD.http://www.cipd.co.uk/pressoffice/_articles/bullying241006.htm. Date Accessed 22 January 2007.
3 Businesses urged to adopt zero tolerance anti-bullying policy. Croner. http://www.croner.co.uk/croner/jsp/Editorial.do?cache=true&channelId=-267343&contentId=633687&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes Date Accessed 25 January 2007.
4 Factsheet on Workplace Bullying. Andrea Adams Trust. http://www.andreaadamstrust.org/factsheet.pdf. Date Accessed 21 February 2007.
5 Bullied at work. Know Your Rights. TUC. www.tuc.org.uk/tuc/rights_bullyatwork.cfm. Date Accessed 21 February 2007.
6 Spot the Big Brother Bully in your workplace. Amicus. http://www.amicustheunion.org/default.aspx?page=5647. Date Accessed 28 February 2007.
7 Amicus and DTI launch the world's largest anti-bullying project. Amicus. http://www.amicustheunion.org/default.aspx?page=4619. Date Accessed 28 February 2007.
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