Judging from my inbox, I hit a nerve with my previous article bemoaning the lack of civility in the workplace and suggesting ways to improve it. But as much as people seem to hunger for common courtesies at work, there’s a much bigger foe out there: I’m talking about rudeness.
One of my awesome readers (EK) pointed me to a recently published study from the University of Florida which found that rudeness in the workplace (even “low-intensity” rudeness like watching someone else endure it) is not just unpleasant, it also spreads like a virus.
Let me explain. The study found that experiencing or witnessing rude behavior, makes it more likely you’ll subsequently respond rudely to others, thus infecting them in turn. Encountering rudeness also changes something in how you interpret the world and makes you more sensitive to perceiving rudeness, and may even have you seeing it when it’s not there.
In the study, those that witnessed rude behavior were more likely to be rude when responding to a neutrally worded email. That means that simply being “exposed” to rudeness, sort of makes you a “carrier” of rudeness which can be triggered even without provocation, as in a neutral email. I think we all sort of knew this –watching rude behavior even toward someone else sets us on edge and we tend to overreact –but it’s fascinating to see it borne out in research.
Implications for the workplace
Because rude work behavior doesn’t just affect the intended target but also affects those who see it, unless the behavior is confronted, the effects are going to spread quickly. This is why an otherwise healthy workplace can easily become toxic when a new caustic person –or a bad hire– is introduced and their rude behavior is tolerated. So, don’t ignore it, confront it. Make it unacceptable in your workplace.
Need more evidence?
An earlier study found that “simply observing discourteous behavior erodes fellow employees’ ability to think creatively, solve problems, be good team players and even goes so far as to make them harbor deep, dark and destructive thoughts.”
So, have zero tolerance for incivility and rudeness. Create a workplace environment that champions courtesy, respect and civility. And no, that doesn’t mean everyone gets a hug.
© Copyright Eva Del Rio
Eva Del Rio is creator of HR Box™ – tools for small businesses and startups. Send questions to Eva@evadelrio.com
