The Costs of Workplace Rudeness

The Wall Street Journal:

When we’re pressed at work, it’s tempting to let manners slip. Whether it’s ignoring a colleague’s email request, snapping at someone in a meeting or interrupting a conversation to respond to a text message, modern workplace rudeness is varied and rampant.

Because rudeness—offensive words or deeds that go against social norms—can be more subtle and benign than harassment or bullying, targets may assume that it’s just a routine, if unpleasant, part of the workday. But a growing body of research suggests that rudeness can harm an employee’s well-being and job performance.

When rudeness feels like a threat, it occupies cognitive resources and focuses our attention on processing the unpleasant interaction, says Amir Erez, a management professor at the University of Florida. Dr. Erez’s research on the work environment at hospitals found that such cognitive drain could lead to “potentially devastating outcomes” for patients.

Read the whole story: The Wall Street Journal