Weighing in on Credit Fears in the Workplace

The doom and gloom of another day of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bashing is enough to make anyone who’s got a stake in the companies or a mortgage on edge – a bit jittery. Add to it, the testimony of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke; and commentary on whether the U.S. mortgage giants are truly solvent – and you have a recipe for monkey mind. What to believe? And how much is the anxiety seeping into our workday and productivity?

If you watch such days unravel minute by minute you can understand how this can be unnerving for those who might be impacted by the fear raised around mere speculation. If one of your colleagues gets snippy with you, take a breath and a step back. Don’t take it so personally. It might lead to “desk rage”.

Ellen Wulfhorst wrote an article on the topic for Reuters, Desk rage spoils workplace for many Americans. She cites research that showed one-sixth of workers reported anger at work has led to property damage, while a tenth reported physical violence and fear their workplace might not be safe.

The credit crisis joins a litany of reasons to be angry these days. For example, I blogged on the anxiety regarding commuting and high gas prices a few days back in my post, Morning Commute gets Trickier for Gas Guzzler Riders. We bring that tension with us into the workplace, unless we are aware of ridding our disposition of it before walking in the door. That takes some work. Whether it be some deep breathing, exercise or contemplation – it behooves you to find something to disperse that thick energy which is holding you back from a peaceful day. Furthermore, while it’s challenging, keep some compassion in your pocket for your buddies at work.

The concern around Fannie and Freddie is real. Look what happened to Bear Stearns? At the same time Bernanke is talking about better regulating the financial markets. Policy change might be on the way just as Sarbanes-Oxley came after the dot com bubble burst. Let’s not think about whether it’ll be in time to help dig some of the big banks out of the credit crunch. It’ll just give you a nasty headache and put the stops on your productivity at work.