Managing anger in the workplace is a significant issue for companies today. Our daily lives have become so hectic and by the time that many of us walk into the office, we’ve already had to help the kids finish up homework, get them to school, have discussions with our spouse about finances, battle traffic, and/or take work calls on the way in. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person over the age of 18 spends about 8.8 hours per day on work-related activities. That is a lot of time in the office interacting with co-workers and bosses that you may not be on the same page with. You might feel that there’s unfair treatment or discrimination of some kind, which leads to feelings of hostility and irritability. Let’s face it, the workplace is a naturally stressful environment and personal conflicts between employees or having just one angry co-worker can create a toxic situation for everyone.
If left unchecked, angry, hostile and potentially violent behavior will continue to deteriorate and cause pervasive harm. The angry person might start to feel it physically with an increase in blood pressure, heart disease, gastrointestinal issues or insomnia. Others might start avoiding that person causing lack of communication, isolation, low productivity, stress and sadness. In short, anger that is unresolved leads to an unhappy workplace.
It’s important for effective managers to recognize when there is conflict and take steps to handle it rather than hoping it will work itself out. Some key principals include:
1. Open up dialogue with the employee or co-worker
2. Focus on the situation at hand, not on the person’s individual personality
3. Be a good listener
4. Make a list of points that need to be resolved
5. Work out a plan to attain an agreeable solution
The bottom line is that it’s normal that individuals in the workplace are going to come from different backgrounds and have different ways of handling their job that not everyone agrees with. One of the best solutions to provide behavioral support for employees with anger management issues is to utilize an online anger management program.
Online anger classes are available for companies to purchase for their employees, for individuals to use to fulfill court requirements or for personal self-improvement goals. The good news is that anger management is something that we have control over and can make a rational decision to change. Taking courses online provides clients with privacy and convenience. The employee can take the course from the quiet and relaxed atmosphere of his or her own home, at work during a lunch break or even at the local coffee house, anywhere there is WIFI access. No one else in the company needs to know that the employee is utilizing this type of resource for education. Classes can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so it’s a hassle-free and low-stress way of learning the material that shouldn’t create any more hostility from the employee.
Many of our clients are relieved when given the opportunity by their employer to take this type of course. They’ve known for a long time that they have an issue, but haven’t had the time, energy or motivation to deal with it. Providing this educational tool can be a life changing as well as morale building experience.