Desk rage spoils workplace for many Americans

Reuters ^ | Jul 10, 2008 | Ellen Wulfhorst

[ikka]

Republicans in power = bad things are happening (according to the press)

[decimon]

One of my favorites is the annual ethics training.

The trainer likely someone you know to be an underhanded rat.

[RightWhale]

My original plan was to retire at 29. It wa a workable plan. Was too young and immature to follow through on that. But, eventually got there anyway, somewhat battered and squirrely.

[Old Professer]

Probably the most overused and least understood term in popular economics today is lost productivity; it has been used in legal cases where actual injury has occurred to imagined justification for draconian policies on employee’s habits off the job to justify major changes to societal behavior and is always counted the very same way you would count the money handed back to you when the bank cashes your paycheck.

Yet in reality in many cases, there was never a cent lost to anyone; it is only the money that was anticipated had the perfect replaced the real being toted up.

[1rudeboy]

The sales guys (yes, we were all guys) at the steel company I mentioned savaged some poor “motivational” speaker so badly the first time one was brought in we were exempted from future presentations. Our marketing manager was a little miffed, but when word of the news trickled up to the VP level, the reaction was “what do you think you pay them for?”

[Hoffer Rand]

Life would be easy if it weren’t for other people!

[Gabz]

I find its usually one or two morons who can spoil it for everyone....and its not just the bosses.

You are so right on the money. We've been dealing with one like that where I do both paid and volunteer work --- he got canned Tuesday night and the rest of us are all doing a happy dance!

[polymuser]

Wow! But then, lots of people did that after Gore lost.

[CORedneck]

I worked for one jerk a few years ago. Not only was he a liberal tree hugger but also a Type A. I planned a two week vacation in July a few years back. He got advance notice about a month before. A few days before I left, I sent an e-mail to a couple of people concerning what will be covered in my absence. I got called into his office, with fist pounding and yelling that was so loud that it can be heard in the area. A few days later, I get called and get yelled at some more and then was told that taking vacation was a management extended privilege and management has to approve vacation usage. Also permission had to be granted to leave town as well.

A year later, it got so bad working for him that you could not do anything in your job without having to get permission. If there was a deadline to meet, if the permission was not granted, you had to wait. If you missed the deadline, you were blamed, not the manager. I even got chewed out for using a bathroom on a different floor since the one on my floor was fully in use. I was glad to leave him at the end of 2005. I recently got laid off in January. Guess who sat on the executive staffing committee ? He did and he made sure I couldn't get another job in Colorado. When I was pulled off of a position I was given an ultimatum, if I wanted to stay with the company, I had to take a position on the East Coast - DC, MD, VA area with no pay increase and minimal relocation with the caveat that I had to sell my house within 2 months. If I didn't sell, I would be considered not dedicated to the company.

I took the severance package and left. I have not been able to find any work since.

[decimon]

Life would be easy if it weren’t for other people!

You talkin' ta me? ;-)

[CORedneck]

One place I worked at had these motivational posters all over, the management was piss poor. One thing, there is a parody on motivational posters, it is Despair.Com. My favorite is Flattery.

Companies would be better served by creating a better work atmosphere...instead of spending $$$ on goofy “motivational” stuff that doesnt work (it doesnt work...there would not be so many “new” motivational scams out every year).

[decimon]

First, I’m sorry you’re out of work.

As for that manager...well, someone promoted him to or hired him for that position and is keeping him in that position. I suspect the problem goes well beyond him.

[Hoffer Rand]

LOL.

The guy in the office next to me had a cold in February. So sick his supervisor wouldn't let him deal with any of the customers, but wouldn't send him home (grrrr), and Typhoid Larry insisted on staying at work and sharing with the rest of us. Since then, he's developed a BAD throat clearing habit. Literally, EVERY 2-3 minutes throughout the entire day he loudly grunts and clears his throat. It is the most irritating sound. I just want to tell him by the time it's been 6 months, it's just a habit, so stop already.

[Political Junkie Too]

I'm not YELLING! I'm speaking into the Polycom!

-PJ

[Graybeard58]

Everbody’s a little daft except for me and thee and I have my doubts about thee.

[reagan_fanatic]

There’s an older woman I work with who runs the parts counter. It isn’t uncommon for her to sneer at customers and to act exceedingly rude towards them. In addition, she is despised by everyone here and we have made several attempts to get the boss to fire her. Unfortunately, the Boss eschews confrontation and outside of a few admonitions here and there, refuses to do anything about her.

If murder was legal, I swear...

[READINABLUESTATE]

I have to type very quietly, she might hear me....

I work 10 feet from a woman (oposite cubicles) who is the type A personality that the article mentions. She curses like a sailor and mutters all day long about the company and the other employees and she is WAY too concerned about what everyone else is doing. She is like a dark storm cloud everywhere she goes.

oops, gotta go

[Hazwaste]

“Desk Rage” is just a way of shifting blame for boorish individuals’ behavior so that they don’t have to take responsibility for the fact that they are jerks.

There is no “Road Rage”. There is no “Desk Rage”. There are just a lot of jerks that never grew up and learned to play nicely with other people.

[Hoffer Rand]

I prefer “eccentric” except I probably don’t make enough $$$ to qualify... Hey, why be normal, right?

[Citizen Blade]

“Desk Rage” is just a way of shifting blame for boorish individuals’ behavior so that they don’t have to take responsibility for the fact that they are jerks.

"I don't have an anger management problem- I have an idiot management problem"- Hank Hill