"Gift rage" lands worker in court?
Thu Oct 4, 9:33 AM
TOKYO (Reuters) - A disgruntled Japanese worker smashed up his employer's office in a fit of pique after his boss ignored his gift of jelly desserts, a national paper said on Thursday.
An Osaka court heard that the 31-year-old man, who worked for an online clothing sales company, had given the company president a box of jellies in the summer as a mark of gratitude after landing the job, the English-language Asahi Shimbun said.
Many Japanese maintain a tradition of sending gifts to important business contacts in summer and winter.
When the employee realized that his boss had left the box of jellies unopened under his desk, he smashed 22 computers in the office with a truncheon, the paper said. No one was injured in the incident.
The man pleaded guilty to charges of obstructing business with force, the paper said.
"I wish the company president had cared a little more," the paper quoted the employee's lawyer as saying.
Prosecutors said the employer had been too busy to open the gift, the paper said.
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This latest account is a sad commentary on the state of employee/employer relations. When people feel as though they are not valued, they will act on their frustration - some turning anger inward, and others turning anger outward. It is a shame that the employer in this case did not recognize this act of tradition and respect, and at least take 30 seconds to show his appreciation for the gift. Such a small token of gratitude could have prevented everything. On the other side, the employee obviously had little or no coping skills to help him deal with the feelings of frustration and rejection that he felt at the perceived slight by his employer. Too bad he didn't know about Anger Solutions... (www.angersolution.com).
