More than just a flash in the pan: the high cost of rudeness at work

There are few of us who have not experienced rude behaviour in our working lives – either on the sharp receiving end, or as a witness seeing a colleague being targeted.

If we are honest, at some point or another, most of us have likely also dealt out a degree of rudeness ourselves. Maybe in reaction to having previously been the target of such behaviour, maybe unintended, or because we were tired, had too much work to do, or just did not pay attention.

Often, incidents of rudeness at work are dismissed as a flash in the pan; an inevitable but inconsequential side effect of the daily pressures of working life. “Get over it and move on” is the standard remedy.

But is it really so trivial, or is there something deeper and more troubling taking place?

Over the past 15 years, a growing body of research around the world has shown workplace incivility to be a pervasive behaviour, and one that carries a high price.

One study, for example, found that 98 per cent of workers reported experiencing incivility at work, with half saying they had been the recipient of such conduct at least weekly.