Do you have a workmate who constantly moans about colleagues, their workload, financial problems or general disatisfaction with their job? If so, you could be suffering more than just a bent ear.
A recent study by Professor Elaine Hatfield, a psychologist at the University of Hawaii suggests stress can be as contagious as a cold. (I wonder how you get a job at the University of Hawaii???) According to the Professor we can actually ‘catch’ anxiety from our colleagues.
She reports that “passive” or second hand stress can spread around the workplace, including schools. Her studies of “emotional contagions” suggest we are effectively sponges.