I've worked for myself for the past couple years, so can't say I've recently experienced this not-so-new workplace phenomenon called "desk rage." Although, having had my share of nasty, abusive and egotistical bosses, I can say I've seen a lot of bad behavior in action. No one gets paid enough to have to put up with this:
Get out of the way, road rage. Here comes desk rage.Fun stuff...and just what everyone wants to be thinking about on a Saturday night. But, what was your worst workplace experience? I think there's a book to be written, a "Devil in Prada goes to D.C." based on some of the crazy things I've seen -- and heard about -- here in Washington. One of my "favorites" is the personal assistant who got fired because she wouldn't go to the drug store to buy an enema for her boss. Not kidding.
Anger in the workplace -- employees and employers who are grumpy, insulting, short-tempered or worse -- is shockingly common and likely growing as Americans cope with woes of rising costs, job uncertainty or overwhelming debt, experts say.
"It runs the gamut from just rudeness up to pretty extreme abusive behaviors," said Paul Spector, professor of industrial and organizational psychology at the University of South Florida. "The severe cases of fatal violence get a lot of press but in some ways this is more insidious because it affects millions of people."
Nearly half of U.S. workers in America report yelling and verbal abuse on the job, with roughly a quarter saying it has driven them to tears, research has shown.
Other research showed one-sixth of workers reported anger at work has led to property damage, while a tenth reported physical violence and fear their workplace might not be safe.
"It's a total disaster," said Anna Maravelas, author of "How to Reduce Workplace Conflict and Stress." "Rudeness, impatience, people being angry -- we used to do that kind of stuff at home but at work, we were professional. Now it's almost becoming trendy to do it at work.
