THE IRISH WORKPLACE can be a hotbed of negative feelings – with a large number of employees reporting anger towards colleagues and management in a new survey by Peninsula Ireland.

The survey, which involved Irish workers from a wide range of industries, found that 79 per cent of Irish employees get angry at slacking co-workers.

A further 73 per cent of employees said they did not feel that management listened to their concerns.

“It’s obvious that the workplace needs anger management therapy,” said Alan Price, managing director of Peninsula Ireland. “Working with people is bound to result in a clash of personalities somewhere along the way, but your reaction is important, and if you feel inclined to rant and rave then you need to take a step away and breathe.”

Price said that all co-workers should pull their weight in any business, but that it was especially important for small businesses as stress can occur with the uneven distribution of tasks and result in anger.

He said employees experiencing anger in the workplace should look at what is prompting negative emotions: “Look at the conversation you have had with the individual, are you partly to blame? Identifying the problem may help in the long term especially if it is a communication related.”

If the problem stems from relationships with management, Price recommends that employees find a HR manager they can confide in so they can express their concerns in a non-confrontational manner.

“Ensure it is a two way conversation. Remember that all employees, including management may well be under pressure at work, this may be the reason to their behaviour, an amicable meeting should resolve any issues,” he said.

Peninsula Ireland questioned 341 Irish workers across a range of industries as part of the survey

Read: 5 pointers to remember in an interview>
Read: Open thread: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever put on a CV?>