Stress and Anger in the Workplace

If you've ever worked in a stressful environment, you know how easy it can be for people to let loose with their anger. It doesn't matter whether the stress is due to the nature of the work, the inability of certain employees to perform satisfactorily, the failure of employees to get along with each other, or the tendency of some to bring stressors from their personal life into the workplace. Whatever its source, once the stress is in the workplace it needs to be addressed. Managers who choose to ignore symptoms of stress and anger and allow them to continue to build up are, in effect, lighting a stick of dynamite and waiting to see how long it will take to blow up. Some sticks are slower burning than others, but if nothing is done to change a situation it will ultimately explode.

Once they are made aware of workplace stress in their areas of responsibility, managers would do well to consider the following:

• What is the source of the stress -- is it related to the work itself or to the people performing the work?
• What triggers seem to provoke the stress?
• Can we apply problem-solving or conflict management skills in this situation?
• If the stress cannot be eliminated or even reduced, what stress management skills might we teach the employees?

When managers are more aware of employees' stress levels and take steps to address them, they are more likely to receive greater cooperation and higher performance in return.