Rude behaviour at work can encompass many behaviours, from ignoring a colleague, to making disparaging comments, to interrupting someone during a meeting. These behaviours may seem quite mild, but the effects can be far reaching and have been linked to: employee burnout, increased stress, increased quitting intention, decreased motivation and feelings of isolation and anxiety. It’s important to understand more about rude behaviours, the factors that influence behaviours and how best people can cope with rudeness in the workplace. This knowledge can then be used to reduce the impact of rudeness and help support the victims of rudeness.

We are particularly interested in conducting research to explore the impact of context (e.g. a meeting versus a lecture) on perception of rudeness, the skills victims use to cope with rudeness and the potential influence of individual differences on the perception and experience of rudeness. Our research to date has primarily examined rudeness within academia and mental health settings.