A surprising 37 per cent of Australian workers admit to being yelled or sworn at in the workplace[1].
Perhaps it has happened to you or a colleague? Maybe a distressed franchisee has taken out his or her anger on a field manager?
Perhaps some of your franchisees’ employees have suffered a verbal attack?
Challenging behaviours in the workplace come in many forms and may come from anyone for instance, a peer, colleague, manager, franchisee or customer.
If situations are not correctly managed they can become a workplace hazard and impact on productivity.
So managers at every level must take practical steps to protect employees from situations which may injure or harm them.
Protect your team from workplace anger
Marcela Slepica, clinical services manager at AccessEAP says “Learning the skills to respond to emotionally charged situations is crucial for today’s managers.
“Unfortunately, we are receiving reports from our clients of an increase in aggressive and threatening behaviours from customers and members of the public.”
Slepica says the right approach can prevent, de-escalate or end an attempted verbal assault while maintaining mental and emotional safety.
The fight-back solution uses words rather than actions to deal with the situation.
The company describes it as ‘verbal judo’.
“Verbal judo provides information and tools to assist staff to keep psychologically and physically safe whilst working with colleagues and the public,” adds Slepica.
It’s been a useful tool for front line staff, particularly in the service industry, she says.
AccessEAP has some tips for dealing with challenging situations:
3 strategies that defuse workplace anger in the workplace
1. Recognise your own stress signature
When faced with a threat our bodies experience a collection of responses. Our brains activate a threat response even before our conscious minds can process what’s happening.
This stress response reduces our capacity for logical thinking so it’s important to take a step back. Assess your physical, mental, emotional and behavioural reactions in order to determine the best course of action.
Two people may experience the same situation and have different stress reactions. It is vital to determine whether your reaction is normal for you, or one that suggests you are at risk.
Ensure you are able to think clearly and calmly before you get involved.
2. Respond rather than react
It is more effective to respond to a situation rather than to react to the moment. Responding allows us to control the situation, whereas reacting lets it control us. With verbal judo, it is important not to ignore or dismiss a question. Try not to justify or defend yourself but let the other person express their frustration. Then once they have finished, speak with confidence, explain, educate and win their respect. Do not argue with the other person as this escalates their emotions.
Avoid statements such as “You wouldn’t understand,” “It’s none of your business,” or “Be reasonable.” Use empathy to absorb tension and instead try statements like, “Let me be sure I understand you correctly.”
Your interest allows the angry person to calm down and they will be open to listening because they have been heard.
Of course, if the situation continues to present a risk, you must withdraw to guarantee your own safety.
“I will end this conversation if you continue to yell at me.”
3. Debriefing and self-care
If you experience an incident of challenging behaviour in the workplace, you should seek immediate support from a manager. For less serious incidents, a team discussion and debrief, peer support or other self-care strategies may be sufficient. For serious incidents, trauma support from an EAP or counselling may be required to help process what has happened.
When challenging behaviours occur, the most important thing to remember is to maintain the personal safety of employees.