Interpersonal Rudeness At Work (rude Colleagues)

Interpersonal rudeness at work is seen all too often. Rude colleagues are those who make use of teasing and criticism and who, far from facilitating tasks and making a team, make them difficult. With their often aggressive and unethical behavior, they create a highly negative work environment that affects a large part of the company.

We are not wrong if we say that this reality is of increasing concern to experts. Every work scene is still a microcosm of society itself. It is a space of human interrelation whose objective should be to combine synergies to achieve common objectives. However, disrespect, harassment, rudeness and violation already seem a constant.

There is research that indicates something striking. It is enough for someone to initiate this type of behavior so that, little by little, it spreads like the flu. Finally, these dynamics translate into low productivity and, what is worse, in anxiety disorders, depression and sick leave. 

What is interpersonal rudeness at work?

Just a few months ago a study was published that should invite us to deep reflection. The University of Illinois at Chicago conducted research that has lasted more than two decades and that shows that rude behavior, rudeness and disrespect is a constant in work environments.

The basic problem is that it is tolerated and no containment, sanction or warning measures are applied. The complex thing is that these aggressive dynamics tend to normalize so that there are companies in which nothing changes over the years. The authors of this work define it as a chronic lack of civility that appears both in restaurant chains and in large technology companies.

Let’s now know what this interpersonal rudeness at work consists of.

From rudeness to rudeness and later to aggressiveness

This data is important and it is still striking. These types of behaviors go from less to more and have their beginning in the simple lack of courtesy. That is, there can be events such as not having such a person when doing a task, as well as not taking their opinion into account to agree on something. Realities such as avoiding someone on breaks, at meals, etc., are an example of this.

Now, these details that for many are not too important are increasing in severity. One day rudeness appears, such as speaking ill of one openly with someone. Underestimating his tastes or ridiculing him in front of others is something recurrent.

The worst comes gradually and over time. It is very common for aggressive behavior and even bullying to appear sooner or later. It is like who is tempting the person. It begins with interpersonal rudeness at work, then jumps to rudeness and ends with more open aggressiveness.

Contagious behavior

It would look like a horror movie if it weren’t true. Research work such as those carried out by psychologists Trevor Foulk, Andrew Woolum and Amir Erez of the University of Florida have shown something very serious. Interpersonal rudeness at work is contagious. Rudeness is imitated. Aggressive behavior is not only tolerated, but if someone does it, others allow it and many apply the same behavior.

This data shows us something that has been seen many times at an experimental level. For example, let’s remember the case of the “Bobo” doll and child aggressiveness. What is often appreciated is that negative behavior is not only tolerated in work settings. Many times, it is learned, integrated and repeated.

There are those who exercise harassment because the rest of their colleagues do it too. There are those who apply it for not being less and of course, there are those who do not cross the line, but tolerate it and do not report it.

Zero tolerance for interpersonal rudeness at work

Interpersonal rudeness at work cannot be normalized. Rudeness cannot be tolerated and bullying cannot and should not be allowed. Thus, and as is often said in the company field, sometimes it is enough that there is a single “bad apple” so that soon the entire basket ends up spoiling.

That is, there are always one, two or three people who initiate these negative and counterproductive behaviors. Disrespect, ridicule, and criticism slowly creep across the organization, creating an epidemic of misconduct. Therefore, we must be clear about one aspect. Everyone ends up losing with this series of dynamics. The climate that is created is so adverse that it affects all levels: psychological, social, productive, etc.

Thus, from the field of organizational psychology, something very simple is proposed: detect these infectious outbreaks and remove them. Lack of civility is not permissible and human resources and management must design strategies to identify the uncivil, the rude, the harasser.

We need managers who promote coexistence, respect, cooperation and gratitude. Only human teams capable of working in harmony and respect create happy scenarios to go far in common. United in the same project. Respecting each other, valuing each other, trusting each other.