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Watch out for anger in the workplace

Yesterday a colleague said to me, “I’m just about to lose it!” I figured he was sort of joking, and I pretended to run.

And then I read this article about how common “office rage” has become in the U.S. workplace. People really are losing it! Nearly half of all workers report yelling and verbal abuse on the job, and nearly a quarter say the behavior drove them to tears, according to Reuters.

A recent Yahoo! HotJobs site poll also found that 1 in 4 respondents lost their temper at work at least once a week. Another 10% admitted to losing their temper once a month.

Top it off with all the bad news out there about rising fuel costs, job insecurity, and lower home values, and you can see why there’s a lot of bruising going on at the office.

If you encounter rage, experts recommend several responses, such as not taking it personally and letting the person “vent.” It’s also a good idea to walk away, perhaps excusing yourself to take care of another matter. If the incident is offensive or severe, document it, as it may be a matter for the HR department. Or you could really walk away, as in find a new job.

Here are two good Yahoo! HotJobs articles with more tips how to deal with anger and with bullying at work:

• Anger Management at the Office
• Bullies in the Workplace