When we start working in a company, no matter how small or big it is, we spent more than 40 hours per week with our coworkers. We see these people five days a week, possibly even more, and we spent more time with them than with our own family. It is said that after a while, our coworkers become our family and that can also lead to jokes, happy memories, and even heated arguments. It is pretty difficult to figure out how to deal with someone who is upset with you, especially in a professional environment, and in this article, we are going to talk about that and help you resolve issues before they escalate. Keep on reading to find out how to respond to a worker who is extremely angry and what you need to do to make sure that everyone ends up happy without the argument becoming too heated.
Locate the issue
Source: pmcinsurance.com
The first thing that you always need to start with is locating the issue. Sometimes the employee may be upset because of another employee, because of an injustice that happened in the place in the place of business, or just because they had a bad day and one small thing set them off.
In some cases, the issue may be much bigger than you couldn’t dissipate and before everyone enters a screaming contest, it is good to know what the actual reason for the negative emotion is. The sooner you get to the bottom and the sooner you figure out what the problem is, the easier it is going to be to resolve the problem and stop the whole situation from getting too heated.
Talk to them in a calm manner
The next thing you need to do he’s realized that you should not try and out-yell them in case they are yelling. You should never try to show that you are angrier than them and you should never say that their emotions are not valid no matter what the issue is.
You should always lead by example, no matter if the person is your superior or your subordinate and you should make them feel like they’re being heard. You should listen to what they have to say when it comes to the problems and you should keep a cool and collected tone no matter your current personal feelings.
Make sure you provide a good and safe environment
Source: betterup.com
Providing a good and safe environment is the number one thing you can do if you want to prevent any problems from escalating and if you want to prevent your employees from getting angry or upset about the current situation. It has been proven that the number one reason why employees get angry is that they don’t feel safe or they don’t feel valued in the company and the position they are in.
The easiest way to do this is to have audits, and when you explore the overall culture of the company you can learn a lot of the things that could lead to an issue or you can also learn potential solutions to problems that have not yet arisen. You can read more about this and you can figure out how a corporate audit can help your business become better and provide a better environment for everyone who is a part of the brand.
Ask what you can do to help resolve the matter
The easiest way to deal with someone who is angry is to ask them what they need and what the perfect scenario would be. Once you know what the issue is ask them what their preferred solution is. Sometimes the employee will have an answer that is going to help your overall brand and that is going to make things much easier for you both right now and in the future.
In other cases, the worker will not have an answer and will not be able to give you a solution but in this case, you can sit down with them and offer your view on the whole situation and what you think can be done. Collaborate with them to find the best way forward and know that when you ask them for their opinion or when you give them a variety of solutions to choose from they’re going to feel heard and they’re going to be willing to start collaborating with you in a calm manner.
Give them time to calm down
Source: businessinsider.com
Always give the worker time to calm down and leave the room. Sometimes it is best if you don’t try to resolve the issue as soon as possible and it is better to let the other person reflect on what has happened and how they feel about it.
If you try and corner them, and if you push for them to tell you right away what has happened and what has made them angry chances are they’re going to get even angrier. Offer them water and offer them to take a break and just go outside and breathe some fresh air. If they have the option to take a break and reflect they are much more likely to calm down on their own and approach you when they feel they have the right words to explain what has happened and offer you possible solutions.
Know when it’s time to apologize
Finally, know when it’s time to apologize. One of the worst mistakes of managers is standing their ground firmly no matter what the problem is and acting as if nothing is ever the company’s fault. Know when it’s time to say that you’re sorry and to apologize to the worker if they feel they have been wronged.
Make sure that the apology is heartfelt and that you show them that you have listened to their concerns and you understand their feelings. This is going to help you resolve the matter much faster and you should know that people sometimes just want to know that they have been heard and that the other party is actually apologizing.
Dealing with an angry worker is not something that you will need to do every single day, as long as the corporate culture is healthy. If you think that there is an issue with the brand on its own, you need to do some audits and see what can be done to make everyone in the business happier. Try to talk to the person that is feeling upset, get to the bottom of the issue, and make sure that you do everything in your power to make sure that it never happens again.
