The screaming bully is one of my pet peeves! And they never seem to lose their jobs - it’s always the bullied who head for the tall grass.
It’s one of the reasons I refuse to work in office environments. I work in the theatre where you have putzes too but a sly comeback can often stop them in their tracks.
I have worked for a few “screamers” in my time.... I know how to handle these types, you simply piss them off even more... here is how you do it.....
First, simply ignore the entire conversation, until the screamer asks, “Did you hear me?” or some other comment...
Second, kinda shake your head as if waking up, look blankly at them and calmly state, “ Oh, i’m sorry. I wasn’t listening. Is this the part where I fall to my knees and beg your forgiveness?”....
At this point the screamer will lose their minds, and eventually tell you that you have a bad attitude....
You then get your mean voice on, and state, “ ATTITUDE??? Let me tell you something about attitudes, pal. Attitudes start at the top and work their way down. If you don’t like my attitude, carry your butt into the bathroom, and take a good long look in the mirror. You will SEE where my attitude originates!”....
This will effectively shut them down, and most times they will never bother you again. If they write you up, all you have to do is tell the HR person that publically being screamed at constitues a hostile work environment, and suggest that the friedly HR person have a little chat with your screamer. Remind HR that you are fully aware that you still have to work in this town, but the next person may not be so patient.
Works like a charm..