A recent study conducted found that rudeness in the workplace has a strong, detrimental effect on employee wellbeing. Comments, language, behaviours, or gestures that can be interpreted as rude, uncivilised, or hurtful have the potential to lead to a toxic work culture.
Separate from serious incidents such as racial slurs, sexist remarks, or harassment, which are more obvious forms of misconduct and are well documented, rudeness can include things like eye rolling, sighing, tsking, undermining a person’s credibility, or belittling someone in front of other employees.
While most workplaces have clear guidelines on what constitutes racism, sexism, and discrimination, understanding and recognising more subtle inappropriate behaviours can make it especially challenging because it is so subjective. This does not make it any less valid or legitimate.
Leaders set the tone
Employees watch leaders for cues about what kind of behaviour is acceptable and appropriate in the workplace and whether consciously or not, managers set the tone in their own teams and across the business.
So, when a manager engages in incivility or rudeness, it not only has a trickledown effect where employees think that this type of behaviour is acceptable and that’s how people should interact with one another at work, but it can lead to unhealthy power dynamics, leaving employees in a vulnerable position. This breaks down the trust between employer and employee, removing safety and opportunities for information sharing and collaboration.
Managers need to be keenly aware of their own values, strengths, and weaknesses, and be transparent in their interactions with employees. Additionally, understanding how their leadership affects employees and seeking feedback to try to help improve these interactions is an invaluable tool that can help change workplaces.
What can managers do to nip issues in the bud quickly?
The first step is to address any issues or concerns promptly. An informal conversation should be held, remembering to keep it brief, informative, friendly, and firm. Sometimes, the person accused of rudeness has no intent to be uncivil, and there may be incidents where an employee thinks their behaviour was collegial. If at any point an employee expresses feeling hurt or harmed, it is important to escalate the matter further.
Upskilling leaders is a worthwhile investment
Managers who lead with authenticity, are mindful of values, and are transparent when interacting with employees have less incidents of rudeness and incivility in the workplace. These same leaders set the norms of conduct and behaviour resulting in a more harmonious and professional working environment, and improved employee wellbeing.
At Cornerstone, we can create tailored training workshops to support the leaders of your business. Training managers to not only promote positive behaviour, but also effectively deal with inappropriate conduct, will support a more cohesive and productive workplace. If managers are able to have more meaningful conversations with employees, it can be a powerful tool in reducing issues before they become prevalent. Want more info? Get in touch with our team now for an obligation free chat.
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