Work Rage affects 8 in 10 Workers

Losing your temper in the workplace otherwise known as Work Rage is increasing according to new research by Peninsula, the employment law firm. Peninsula's research shows that the phenomena is not just confined to the US. In fact 8 in 10 workers in the UK suffer from Work Rage, 91% of those affected say that what frustrates them the most is employees who fail to pull their weight. 71% of all respondents say verbal and yelling abuse was common in their place of work.

Key Statistics from research questioning 1,214 employees:

- Work Rage affects 79% of UK workers

- 91% of those affected say that co-workers who fail to pull their weight is the cause of Work Rage

- 71% of all respondents say verbal and yelling abuse was common in their place of work

Deb Gibbons, Head of Diversity at Peninsula said today, What is work rage? Work rage is where an employee has built up frustration or is upset with people or situations in the workplace. Contributing factors towards work rage include disrespectful behaviour from co-workers, management or stress of the job. Work Rage can be evident in a number of ways from swearing, shouting and yelling through to verbal abuse, threats or attacks. If youíre one of those people who throw their Blackberry at the wall because youíre frustrated at work, or snap at a co-worker when continue to discuss how much you hate your job then you are not alone. Firstly identify whether workplace rage is a sign of stress or a general annoyance. By determining the causes an employee can do something about it. It's very easy for someone to lose their temper but before you do, bite your tongue and think about what the cause is.

If it's stress orientated then workers need to sit down with management to discuss the problem because it's something that is not going to just go away. However if it's a problem with an associate or a co-worker then it's time to sit down with that person and discuss the problem. If that is not possible then ask a co-worker or a member of management to mediate. A new incentive which some companies have looked into is 'cyber-venting', which allows employees to anonymously vent their work frustrations and allows management an insight into that problems that may occur.

Gibbons continues: Factors outside work also play a role, but there is a lot that employers can do to resolve the problem. If there is an internal problem between two members of staff then it may be helpful to sit them apart from each other. If they have to work together then line management may need to sit in on meetings or arrange the meetings if possible away from the workplace. On a personal level, try to resolve issues early on with the person who is irritating them. There should also be efforts made to understand other people's point of view.

The common misperception is that everyone thinks the problem is stress related and in some situations this is the case but equally the employee can just be having a bad day. However the employer has a responsibility to minimize 'office rage'. Firstly employers should check stress levels amongst staff. If stress levels are high do something about it before the problem escalates because stressful conditions can result in short tempers. Secondly employers should introduce a zero tolerance policy towards 'workplace rage' prohibiting verbal, abuse or threats of violence of any sort.

Deb Gibbons concludes: Encourage employees to take breaks and grab some lunch. Moving them away from their desk or place of work may help them see the situation differently and combat the aggression. In order to potentially reduce instances of work rage, employers should have clear 'zero tolerance' policies in place and ensure they are communicated clearly to all. Problem areas with high staff turnover and high levels of stress related illness should be identified and appropriate measures taken to remedy this. Managers should be trained to spot early signs of work rage in order to diffuse quickly.