{"id":121246,"date":"2021-06-24T09:56:38","date_gmt":"2021-06-24T13:56:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=121246"},"modified":"2021-07-07T11:18:26","modified_gmt":"2021-07-07T15:18:26","slug":"rude-behavior-at-work-not-an-epidemic-ucf-study-shows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/rude-behavior-at-work-not-an-epidemic-ucf-study-shows\/","title":{"rendered":"Rude Behavior at Work Not an Epidemic, UCF Study Shows"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rude behavior at work has come to be expected, like donuts in the breakroom. Two decades of research on employee relationships shows that 98 percent of employees experience rude behavior at work, but now a new study suggests a large majority of workplace relationships are not characterized by rudeness. Isolated incidents of rude behavior at work, although somewhat common, do not point to widespread incivility between employees and their colleagues, according to a new UCF study.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause prior research suggests workplace mistreatment is harmful and widespread, it is often called an epidemic, but our findings show that rude behavior is less like the flu and more like cholera,\u201d says Shannon Taylor, an associate professor of management and co-author of the report. \u201cIt is still harmful, but far less common, and outbreaks are often traced to a single source \u2013 much like a contaminated water pump.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the study was conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Taylor says his team\u2019s findings are just as applicable to remote work environments. Collaborating remotely presents a variety of challenges that can lead to miscommunication and misinterpretation.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs employees return to work on-site, our study suggests developing and maintaining good relationships with co-workers is important now more than ever,\u201d Taylor says.<\/p>\n

The study, co-authored by UCF doctoral student Lauren Locklear, was published this month in the Journal of Applied Psychology<\/a>.<\/em> The project takes a closer look at the influence of workplace relationships on disrespectful behavior in the office.<\/p>\n