ANGER. A day rarely goes by without us feeling angry. There is no need to cite examples. Sometimes, the cause is trivial—like an annoying fly on the wall. At other times, anger arises from more serious reasons.
Anger seems to have become a constant part of daily life. That is why it is important to talk (again?) about this phenomenon. As I said, anger is one of the most basic human emotions. Everyone is capable of it. If someone tells you they never get angry, you would do well not to believe them.
Anger is a troubling feeling of opposition toward something or someone. It could be directed at a neighbor—for instance, one who still burns toxic plastic and rubber waste. Many of us also feel anger when observing certain politicians these days across the world.
Anger is a hostile emotion that sets people against one another—or even against themselves. By nature, it involves opposition, hostility, hatred, and dislike. However, anger is easier to define than to identify. It can take many forms, ranging from open hostility to the cold indifference of silence.
Anger in the workplace has become increasingly common.
Mindfulness can help release repressed anger by encouraging awareness of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations in the present moment.
A related concept, first coined by sociologist Arlie Hochschild, is emotional labor—the effort required to regulate emotions in order to present a publicly acceptable facial and bodily display in the workplace.
At times, anger feels like an inner fire. It hits you in the gut. You see red, feel hot, and perhaps begin to sweat. Your stomach tightens, blood pressure rises, and breathing quickens. But anger is not only triggered by neighbors or politicians. In relationships, silent withdrawal, lack of understanding, and countless shortcomings can signal that one is using anger as a form of punishment when things do not go their way.
Returning to the workplace, unhelpful attitudes such as “I’m not good enough” can lead to harmful thinking patterns like “No one else is working as hard as I am” or “I must do a perfect job.” These thoughts can trigger and sustain high levels of anxiety.
When research into emotional labor first began, it focused mainly on the service industry, based on the assumption that more customer interaction meant greater emotional effort.
More recently, however, psychologists have expanded their focus to other professions. They found that burnout is more closely linked to how employees manage their emotions during interactions than to the number of interactions themselves. Perhaps today you tried to show interest in a colleague’s words or struggled to restrain yourself from reacting to criticism. Holding back hurt feelings can be particularly draining on one’s inner resources.
In some cases, maintaining this emotional façade becomes overwhelming, and the toll accumulates over time.
As mentioned earlier, even minor issues can spark anger. Over the years, suppressing emotions becomes increasingly difficult. Small problems begin to feel overwhelming, dread of going to work grows, and anxiety escalates.
Across the globe, employees in many professions are expected to adopt a work culture that demands the outward display of specific emotions—such as ambition, aggression, and an intense drive for success.
How we manage emotional labor can generally be categorized into two types: surface acting and deep acting.
“How we cope with high levels of emotional labor likely has its origins in childhood experiences, which shape the attitudes we develop about ourselves, others, and the world,” says clinical and occupational psychologist Lucy Leonard.
“Unhelpful attitudes such as ‘I’m not good enough’ may lead to thinking patterns like ‘No one else is working as hard as I am’ or ‘I must do a perfect job,’ which can initiate and maintain high levels of workplace anxiety,” Leonard adds.
Workers are often expected to provide good service to people who are angry or anxious—while they themselves may feel frustrated, worried, or offended.
Consider a difficult phone call. If you engage in surface acting, you adjust your outward expression—saying the right things while suppressing your true feelings. With deep acting, you make a conscious effort to genuinely understand the other person’s perspective. You may not agree with their tone, but you recognize their intent.
Both approaches can be seen as forms of politeness. However, deep acting—seeking genuine emotional connection—is associated with a lower risk of burnout. Encouragingly, many workplaces have introduced rest or recreational spaces in recent years to help reduce employee stress.
When things become overwhelming, you may find relief in talking to colleagues. As a former office mate of mine in Germany once said, “Saying it out loud allows me to test and validate my own reaction. I can then go back to the person concerned.”
Those who frequently have to display emotions at work that conflict with their true feelings are more likely to experience emotional exhaustion.
Remaining true to your feelings appears to be essential. Numerous studies show that regularly suppressing genuine emotions in favor of artificial displays increases the risk of burnout.
Of course, professionalism is necessary, and dealing with difficult clients or colleagues is often part of the job. Still, putting yourself in others’ shoes and trying to understand their perspective ultimately benefits your well-being more than expressing sentiments you do not truly believe.
Where possible, workers should strive to be genuinely empathetic, remain aware of how interactions affect them, and communicate authentically. Easy to say, yes—I know. But let’s give it a try.
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