Employees urged to use auto- response generator to stay professional when they lose their cool

AN online response generator has been created to help workers remain professional – even when colleagues and clients drive them to lose their cool.

Rather than ranting on email or blowing your top on a phone call, the tool allows you to choose what you would really like to say to a colleague or customer, before giving you a more professional version.

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The tongue-in-cheek generator was created after research of 2,000 office workers which found three in five have ended up losing their cool at work.

The top thing to cause people to lose their temper was unreasonable colleagues, followed by a big workload and making mistakes.

Third in the list was computer issues, with 22% most likely to lose their cool over technology.

But 45% admitted their colleagues are more often the cause.

The research found other things which make worker’s blood boil are smelly lunches, colleagues doing online shopping and dirty toilets.

A spokesperson for Andrews Air Conditioning, which commissioned the study and tool,  said: “We’ve all been there. Desperate to say what we really think but bound by being professional and polite.

“So, we think this tool is a great way to vent your frustration while still keeping your cool.

“Workers can turn to the tool if struggling to word an email in a professional manner to ensure they don’t later regret what they said. 

“We know how easy it is to lose your temper, particularly in the workplace whether it’s colleagues, clients or customers, but it’s important to think before acting rash.”

The study also found 69% wish there was a way to turn what they actually want to say into more professional language.

And 60% would like to lose their cool less frequently.

A quarter admitted they often regret it when they see red in work and as a result 23%% have had to take a break, 18% have confronted someone and 16% have even shouted out loud.

On average, workers lose their cool twice a week, but 59% believe their colleagues do so more frequently than them.

But 43% admitted to making rash decisions when losing their cool at work, with 11% walking out and one in 10 writing a passive aggressive email.

Further consequences were revealed as being disciplined, ruining a relationship with a colleague and even one in 20 being fired.

To try and stop their blood boiling, 29% have walked away from a situation in the workplace, while 13% have simply made a cup of tea.

While 11% of those polled via OnePoll have counted to 10 before reacting.

The spokesperson for Andrews Air Conditioning added: “The study shows that cooler temperatures help people stay calmer and react less rashly.

“We believe at least if it’s temperate in the office it’s one less thing to stop workers going over the edge.”

TOP 30 THINGS THAT MAKE OFFICE WORKERS LOSE THEIR COOL:

1. Unreasonable colleagues   
2. A big workload 
3. Computer issues              
4. When you make a mistake          
5. Clients     
6. When your computer decides to do an update at the worst time
7. The printer not working
8. Inappropriate work conversations
9. Dirty toilets
10. The IT department          
11. Colleagues doing online shopping when you’re really busy             
12. Someone else pointing out a mistake you’ve made
13. Colleagues taking personal calls on work time
14. Reading a text which puts you in a mood              
15. Leaving dirty cups or bowls around
16. When it’s too warm in the office
17. Someone scratching your car in the car park       
18. When the kitchen is left dirty
19. People not putting please or thank you / basic manners on emails            
20. When it’s too cold in the office
21. Someone deciding to sit at your desk
22. No free spaces in the car park
23. Colleagues not recycling properly
24. Someone messing with your chair configuration
25. Cigarette breaks
26. Smelly lunches  
27. When a colleague keeps fiddling with the temperature   
28. Others helping themselves to your coffee or tea bags     
29. No rooms being available for a meeting
30. A lack of clean cutlery 

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk