VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE: ANGER RAPIDLY BECOMING A HUGE PROBLEM

Anger in the workplace is at epidemic levels, says the U.S. Department of Justice.

Look at the statistics:

-- Twenty murders a week in the workplace.

-- Eighteen thousand assaults a week.

-- One million victims of workplace anger annually, 45 percent of whom are men and 55 percent women.

Why?

Maybe it is lax security, more work or working at a faster pace. Some analysts say all three have combined to create rage in the work force.

No company or office is immune to work-force violence, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor says more than 1,000 workplace homicides are reported annually.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that homicide in the workplace is the second leading cause of occupational deaths, second only to vehicular deaths.

Every day employees are killing and maiming each other as a result of their mismanaged anger and rage. Businesses have ranked workplace anger and violence as a top concern for the past five years.

Many companies are waking up to the scope of violence at work. Granted, the majority of work-related homicides (80 percent) occur during robberies, but other crimes account for 15 percent of the murders committed by workers, former co-workers or unhappy customers. More and more companies are adopting programs designed to provide safer workplaces.

The Community Counseling Center in Cape Girardeau offers an employee assistance program for businesses. It is designed to provide discreet counseling to employees, said Claire Laffoon, a counselor and coordinator of education and training at the Community Counseling Center.

Therapy sometimes can reverse people's actions when they are given the right tools and insights to manage their anger.

"All the therapy in the world won't remove the sources of stress," said Laffoon, but it can change the way people react to those stresses, she said.

Some people blow up under pressure, said Laffoon. They may yell and scream and throw things. Other people may shut down, hide away at home or the office and refuse to talk to anyone.

Neither option is particularly healthy.

"Talking to people often helps," she said. It's important that people have a support system of friends and family with whom they can blow off steam, said Laffoon.

Almost 25 percent of full-time employees are "generally at least somewhat angry at work," a poll found. Authors of the Gallup nationwide telephone survey of 1,000 adults say that statistic may help explain recent outbursts of workplace violence.

"In an environment where you think people are satisfied with their jobs, there may be a sort of undercurrent of anger and resentment aimed at the workplace that could potentially lead to the kinds of explosions of rage we have seen," said Donald Gibson, a professor at the Yale University School of Management and a co-author the study.

The study, "The Experience of Anger at Work: Lessons from the Chronically Angry," was presented this week during a meeting of the Academy of Management in Chicago. The study was sponsored by Marlin Co., a Connecticut-based management consulting firm.

Authorities say workplace rage was a factor in the July 29 shooting spree in which Mark O. Barton killed nine people and injured 12 others in two Atlanta office buildings where he worked as a day trader.

A week later, Alan Eugene Miller killed three people at two Pelham, Ala., companies where he had worked, prosecutors say.

Despite the headlines, homicides at work are declining. There were 866 work-related murders in 1997, a 7 percent drop from 1996. That mirrors the fall in violent crime nationwide during this economic boom, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says.

According to the Gallup survey, the most common cause of workplace anger -- one cited by 11 percent of those questioned -- was the actions of supervisors or managers.

Nine percent said co-workers, others not being productive and tight deadlines or a heavy workload were to blame. Others cited dealing with the public and being treated badly as reasons for their anger.

There has been a lot of downsizing. A lot of companies are leaner and meaner, and many of the workers who are left feel overworked and under-appreciated, Gibson said.

Suppressed workplace anger also has been linked to health complaints such as anxiety, depression, high blood pressure and heart disease. In many cases, incidents outside the workplace will lead to added workplace stress: drug and alcohol use, marital problems and lack of sleep, among others.

There are many signs of stress that may eventually lead to anger in the workplace, said Laffoon. A couple of signs stick out more than others, Laffoon said, citing sudden changes from usual behavior, depression and withdrawal, and threats and intimidation of others or altercations.

What to look for

Following are some signs that may lead to excessive anger or violence in the workplace:

-- Changes from usual behavior.

-- Noted anxiety and, or irritability.

-- Depression and withdrawal.

-- Excessive drinking or drug use.

-- Noted sexual problems, including harassing behavior.

-- Threats, intimidation or altercations with others.

-- Accident prone.

-- Argumentative or feeling persecuted.

-- Mention of sleep disturbances.

-- Physical or health complaints or poor hygiene.

-- Mention of problems at home.

-- Loss of interest in work or life.

-- Comments about suicide.

-- Irrational beliefs or ideas.

-- Fascinations with weapons and, or acts of violence.

-- Threats to hurt self or others.

-- Romantic fixations.

-- Prior history of behavior and performance problems.

-- Fear reaction among co-workers or clients.

-- Display of unwarranted behavior (overreaction).

-- Inability to accept criticism.

-- Mention of new or increased stress at home or in the workplace.

-- Feelings of being victimized.

-- Hopelessness.

-- Productivity and attendance lags.

-- Violence toward inanimate objects.

-- Stealing or sabotaging projects or equipment.

-- Not caring about other employees.