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Dublin: 13 °C Monday 20 May, 2013

Irish workplaces need ‘anger management therapy’ to resolve problems – survey

A new survey shows 79 per cent of Irish employees get angry at slacking co-workers, while 73 per cent believe management do not listen to their concerns.

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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

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Comments (24 Comments)

  • Totally agree with this. Experiencing it myself for over a year. Higher management dont care. We’ll be seeing an increase in cases of this nature I’m sure. Workers rights are not taken seriously or protected. Companies cover up with ‘policies’ and force staff to agree to them or goodbye job.

    Reply
    • I have seen this too Lisa, but I don’t think it is Higher Management, it is the middle management that were promoted to the position during the boom, and now they are under pressure, they are being found out as wafflers and work-dodgers themselves. Any manager expecting their staff to work late, should be there themselves too.

      Reply
    • “Any manager expecting his staff to work late should be there too” – Couldn’t agree more

      Reply
  • very true, employers also get away having staff work longer hours without getting paid and there is a serious amount of bullying going on in the workplace in Ireland at the mo!

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    • Bullying? Like what?

      Reply
    • Working outside of hours for no overtime. Contractual increments not being paid. Annual leave not being given. Incentivising not taking sick leave for the whole office putting pressure on people who are sick to come in anyway.

      It’s not exactly bullying however but I’m sure most people will relate to one of the 4 examples above. There’s definitley a fear amongst the Irish workforce at the moment to do what they’re told and “Keep their heads down”.

      Reply
    • Declan I’ve experienced that, and never felt i was being bullied.

      Just sometimes jobs are a pain in the ass, but that’s life.

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    • Declan, while irish workers may not like being expected to actually work hard, it is what an employer should expect.
      The company isn’t there to just pay you, you are there to be productive for the company, so that they may be in a position to pay you, and pay you well. If your company need you to work longer hours so as to keep them competitive, and thus you keep your job, is that not in both your interests?

      And why should increments be paid when a company is struggling to make margins? How can increments be paid when the company is struggling to make margins??

      This is a hangover from the Celtic Tiger days, when we got high salaries for low output. Time to stop taking the piss now I’m afraid. And where is annual leave not being given? You have to take the 20 days, it is illegal not to!

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    • Well as I said it’s not exactly bullying. But I think employers certainly take advantage of the economic climate at this time. I can sort of understand the incremental one to an extent (To the point that I’ve then seen the “saved” money blown on something stupid, immoral or just downright wrong) but things as simple as annual leave and sick leave are a disgrace. On one occasion I asked for leave I was asked why I wanted it and to provide proof I had something booked for it.

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    • Well then your boss is a jerk Declan. Unless of course you were asking for leave at very short notice and were leaving him/her in a pickle, then their reaction is kinda understandable.
      Like it or not, we all need to work harder and longer in this country now so we can be seen to be a place worth investing in, and so we can generate success for the companies investing here.

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    • Like I said it’s not exactly bullying. But I feel employers are certainly taking advantage of the economic climate at this time to their advantage. I understand, to a certain extent, pay freeze’s/halt on increments (up to the point that the company then goes and spends these “savings” on something stupid, immoral or downright wrong) but things like incentivising sick leave is very immoral. If you are sick, you’re sick. And don’t get me started on annual leave. On one occasion I was asked why I wanted leave and if I could provide evidence that I had something booked!

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    • Can’t argue with you on the wasting of saved money by a company Declan… but what kinda things have you seen the savings wasted on?
      And the sick leave thing will get a LOT worse if Joan Burton gets her way….

      Reply
    • Company cars for management (not modest ones either). You can’t be seen to be saving money and cutting overheads and then buy someone a 70k car

      Reply
    • Indeed… but a 70k car. What was it? A 7 series BMW?… bonkers in a company struggling.
      I have worked in both big and small companies. I have only had one buffoon as a manager. The 7 others I have had were gentlemen/women. People who always ensured I was happy in my job, and always praised my efforts.. I guess I’m just very lucky.

      Reply
    • Oh boy 24/10/12 #

      I agree jeff. There’s less corporate ladders, and more people on each ladder and those people will walk on people immorally to get to the top.

      Some companies and managers are experts at giving hard time, whilst ensuring they don’t cross the legal line

      Reply
  • I think Irish society as whole need anger management therapy

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  • Ah, my old muckers Peninsula again. Those of “more workers use Facebook than have a computer” and “Irish workers spend [insert huge, headline grabbing, impossible percentile here] of their time tweeting, christmas shopping or having romances”. Granted, this one is somewhat more believable than previous of dings, but the ruse remains the same.

    When will they ever learn, as Marlene Dietrich used to sing? EVERY Peninsula survey is outlandish, hack friendly, sensationalist, improbable and a thinly veiled attempt for free publicity.

    Surely this outfit has dragged the name of Irish workers through the muck enough with their BS surveys over the last few years to merit paying for their advertising like everyone else?

    Reply
  • Who said that, I’ll break their neck.

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  • allan 24/10/12 #

    ‘Majority’ of the Irish Citizens are so unrefined and uncouth with zero social skills . I always dread going to work in the mornings ( kind of like walking into an execution chamber ) , the environment’s always infernal and dark – so how in the hell do you expect to find individuals behaving decorously and with respect around the workplace? huh?’

    Reply
    • Mick 24/10/12 #

      ” ‘Majority’ of the Irish Citizens are so unrefined and uncouth with zero social skills”
      You won’t make any friends with that attitude….

      ” the environment’s always infernal and dark”
      What are you working in? night security?

      Most workplaces have their unsociable characters, but to say the Majority of us Irish are unsociable is unnecessarily condescending.

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    • Maria 24/10/12 #

      Allan: that’s an outrageous statement and an awful insult to Irish people. I don’t know where you work but if its that bad, then leave.

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    • Maria 24/10/12 #

      Allan: that’s an outrageous statement and an awful insult to Irish people. I don’t know where you work but if its that bad, then leave. Perhaps you should also question your perception if reality.

      Reply

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