Many feel the booming economy has a dark side. In a recent Associated Press article, workplace stress expert Mark Braverman summed it up well. Employers are having to do more with less. The pressure for productivity is enormous. I think definitely people have shorter fuses.
Observers also note that the changing character of the workplace stokes tension.
Also, the computer is a demanding and fickle taskmaster. A morning's email may contain fifty requests for action or information. And as anyone who works with digital technology is quick to realize, the programs are often counterintuitive, frustrating, and unforgiving. As Braverman notes, beefing up security to head off violent incidents isn't enough. Employers, he says, are obligated to seek out the root causes of stress and demonstrate their concern.