Is Rudeness Really That Common? An Exploratory Study of Incivility at Work

Currently, most studies of incivility involve surveys and controlled laboratory experiments that focus on examining the associations between incivility and other variables. This method of investigation is important, but insufficient for developing a comprehensive understanding of such a complex and multifaceted construct. The present study explores employees’ perceptions of rude workplace behavior from the perspective of real employees in managerial roles. It investigates the extent to which incivility is a prevalent issue faced by employees at work, examines the perceived impact of incivility on relational and productivity-related outcomes, and, finally, considers the potential differences between face-to-face rudeness and electronic rudeness. A qualitative interview approach is used to explore and analyze employees’ perceptions and investigate what employees think, feel, and say about their experiences with incivility at work. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Is Rudeness Really That Common? An Exploratory Study of Incivility at Work on 24 August 2016, available online:  https://doi.org/10.1080/10919392.2016.1228362 .