The December 10 Wall Street Journal had an interesting article on secondhand stress in the workplace. That is ancillary stress generated by stressed colleagues rushing around the office. That rushing, it seems, can have a negative effect on coworkers.
The article introduces Ray Hollinger who rushes around his office. His rushing affects his colleagues negatively, making them feel uncomfortable. Their discomfort is a clear sign that they see Ray’s rushing as rude. So, when Ray is stressed, he rushes around, a behavior his coworkers perceive as rude.
via The Stress/Rudeness Vicious Circle | The Job Doc Blog | Boston.com.