You can't just leave it at the office

It’s a jungle out there. Going to work every day, for some people, means tension, stress, and possible abuse—from bosses as well as coworkers. This workplace bullying and incivility has a devastating impact on employees’ relationships outside the office as well.

In a range of studies about workplace wellness by researchers at the Baylor University in Texas, researchers found that unpleasant relationships with coworkers or bosses create stress that is taken home. This affects the worker’s family and partner, who in turn take the stress to their workplace.

A vicious cycle of abuse results and the family relationships are strained, often beyond repair. The researchers described a supervisor’s abuse as including tantrums, rudeness, public criticism, and inconsiderate actions. A coworker who is rude, insensitive, or disrespectful is also a source of stress and negative emotions that affect the worker’s family and, in turn, the family members’ relationships outside the home.

The partner of a worker who is distracted and overstressed by this kind of workplace tension is also likely to pick up more of the family responsibilities to compensate. This then has implications for the partner’s work-life balance and relationships.

Study author and professor of management, Dawn Carlson, PhD, says, “Employers must take steps to prevent or stop the abuse and also to provide opportunities for [employees] to effectively manage the fallout of abuse and keep it from affecting their families.”

It’s a sad reality that you can’t just leave it at the office, but there are some strategies you can use to manage the stress.