The Work Environment

Hoo boy!

There was a big furor at work today. Apparently it began yesterday after I left and while the boss was away from the office. One employee got mad at a second employee for playing on the internet instead of doing the work he had given to him; he cussed him out. So the second employee went home in a huff, leaving his assigned work behind. I heard this the next morning from the Office Manager after the two got into it again at a staff meeting (which did not include the female admin staff).

I had to answer the phones during the meeting but when I heard all that cussing in the glass-walled room right behind me I was alarmed. I didn't want to listen to the vulgarities and I didn't feel safe. The exit is right across from my desk. I considered leaving the building, maybe standing in the corridor outside until the commotion ended. Or maybe I should quit and never come back. Or maybe I shouldn't leave; maybe I should just go into another office, one with a phone, and close the door? That would shut out the noise and put a barrier between myself and any physical violence that might erupt, though it might cut off further escape. What to do?

The Office Manager came into my work area and we nervously reviewed the situation. We moved into another room with a door. I wanted to close the door and the sound out. She wanted to leave it open and listen!

So she stayed where she was and I went to an inner office and closed that door. And that was a good thing because the phone did ring--business continuing as usual. When I answered it behind the closed door the anger in the meeting could not be heard by the clients on the phone.

At least I was not in the same room with the angry men. I remembered a time before when I had been an employee at a major university in the east. Well, it was a famous place among those familiar with the education system. Most others have never heard of it.

Anyhow, I was in a meeting for a small, newly formed department to which I had been assigned by the university Personnel office. There were just three people there, myself, a graduate student, and a Professor. We were waiting to be joined by another Professor whose office was across the hall.

When he finally arrived he was pleasant enough but then he began to insult his colleague. The other Professor initially restrained an angry retort but soon stood up and returned the insults. The voices grew in volume and the air was charged with hostility. If there had been any weapons around, I think the professors would have used them.

I was so distraught I wanted to jump out of a nearby office window just to get away from the maddened professors, one of whom was blocking the doorway. But I was also so shocked that I could not move.

They finally subsided and I was able to leave. I could find no one to talk to about the incident. It was close to the end of the workday and people in other offices had already gone home or were caught up in last-minute duties. Later that evening, I discussed it in tears with my father who had been a graduate student there years before; he was sympathetic but had no advice. I continued to feel endangered long after the meeting and eventually transferred out of that department.

But I have had lots of time to reflect on those moments. I had never witnessed grown men speaking to one another in such an angry manner, and it was frightening. I was disturbed by their vituperation and expected a physical confrontation to follow. If the professors would not rein their emotions, why would they control their muscles? If they had started to reach for each other, how could they have avoided striking me?

I was also dissatisfied with my response. I thought I should have done something to stop the exchange. I learned that these vicious encounters were a regular indulgence by these professors; in fact, the outbreaks provided a source of amusement to co-workers. But I thought the two highly educated men must long to avoid ungracious intercourse.

I decided that they had behaved like children. What do mothers do when their children misbehave in such a manner? One choice often made is to send the squabbling tykes to separate rooms. Any kind of an interference might have sufficed to break down the Professors' fight. What if I had suddenly leaped out of my chair, interposed myself between the two men, and insisted that the visiting Professor remove himself back to his office? He might have been so startled that he would have complied.

So here was a similar scene being played out at another office. My reaction was the same as at the university, namely shock and fear, but this time at least I was able to remove myself from the scene.

However, I did nothing to intervene. And I said nothing about the flare-up afterwards to any of the participants. So, in my own estimation, I still haven't got it right yet. But, since there was a second time, there will probably be a third. By then, I may know how I want to interfere to accomplish a cease-fire.

Today when the Office Manager had finally heard enough, she went over and closed the meeting room door; then she left the office to go to the restroom with its lockable door in the hall outside. For some reason, the meeting broke up seconds later.

One of the employees came over to me to apologize for his language which he realized I could hear and found offensive. But what good is that if one thinks anything can be said because an apology can be made later?

No one did any more yelling after the meeting. I typed up the minutes wherein the Boss considered banning Internet use for all the employees. Then, he went to lunch with the loudest, most irate employee.

One thing is clear to me this time around: the work of a business still has to be done whether or not its employees get along.

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U.S. Senate 1856