‘Printer jams and faulty office equipment prompt anger’

Jammed printers anger around one-quarter of office workers, according to new research from printer supplies provider Canon.

Although a number of other office-rated activities were found to be more vexing – such as being "spoken down to" or having to deal with faulty PCs – 24 per cent of people said printer problems were a source of rage.

Canon also found that workers can vent their frustration on the office supplies themselves.

Some 20 per cent of employees were found to have either kicked or attacked items such as printers, phones and keyboards when angered.

However, Lucy Beresford, an occupation stress therapist, did state that a number of actions could be taken to prevent damage to office supplies.

"There is no doubt that office rage is on the increase, but a range of initiatives such as crisper meetings or interpersonal kindness could reduce stress levels and even extend the life expectancy of office equipment," she explained.

Canon, which was initially established in 1957 in Geneva and provides a range of office equipment, conducted the survey across Europe.

The results also revealed that eight out of ten respondents had witnessed violent behaviour in the workplace.

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