Researchers from the University of Florida, Indiana University, and other institutions in the U.S. and Israel have uncovered some surprising findings about rudeness in the workplace. Through five studies, they found that even mild rudeness can seriously harm employees’ performance—a risk that could be life-threatening in critical fields like healthcare.
“Many workplaces see rudeness as a minor issue,” the researchers say. “But our findings show it’s a serious threat to both productivity and safety. Organizations need to take it seriously.”
Exposure to rudeness
In various settings, including a medical simulation, the researchers studied teams and found that exposure to rude behavior significantly reduced how well teams functioned. Surprisingly, the severity of the rudeness didn’t matter much—even mild rude comments from an external source explained 44% of the difference in medical teams’ performance.
The studies also revealed that rudeness acts as a social threat, triggering defensive reactions in team members. This makes people less cooperative and more self-centered, which disrupts the teamwork necessary for success. Specifically, teams exposed to rudeness shared less information and took on less of each other’s workload—two crucial elements of effective teamwork. In healthcare, this leads to worse execution of lifesaving procedures.
“Our research sheds light on how rudeness affects team dynamics, especially in high-pressure environments like healthcare,” the researchers explain.
“By showing how rudeness triggers self-focused behavior and hampers communication, we’re not just adding to academic knowledge—we’re uncovering insights that could save lives. It’s a powerful reminder that how we treat each other has real consequences, especially in critical situations.”
Deadly risks
While the studies highlight the deadly risks rudeness poses in healthcare, the impact extends across industries. Whether it comes from supervisors, colleagues, or customers, rudeness damages teamwork and coordination, leading to consistently poor outcomes.
With this in mind, the researchers suggest that organizations adopt strategies to help teams better handle perceived threats like rudeness. Training focused on building resilience and mindfulness could prepare employees to cope with such situations more effectively.
“As we learn more about workplace dynamics, our research emphasizes a crucial point: when it comes to creating high-performing teams, small acts of courtesy can have a huge impact,” the authors conclude.
