Do you say something to someone if they're being rude?

Rudeness isn’t illegal but costs plenty!

If you think it’s not your place to speak up when others exhibit rude behavior at work, think again.

A new study shows that rude employees cost companies millions in lost productivity. And the biggest offenders are managers. When employees think the boss isn’t civil, here’s what happens:

• 53% said they’ve lost hours of productivity sweating about “what will happen next time?”
• 46% considered changing jobs
• 37% say they feel less committed to their company, and
• 22% deliberately got even by cutting back their efforts.

Keeping your mouth shut and taking it seems the easy way out. But to get more positive results:

1. Repeat what was just said. For example, say, “Let me see if I understood you correctly. Did you mean to say … ?” Sometimes people don’t realize they’ve come across rude until they hear what they actually said.
2. Give people the benefit of the doubt. If they aren’t usually rude, assume they’re having a bad day. Consider taking a day to cool off before discussing the incident.
3. Steer the discussion toward solutions so you can work together for a more productive result.

Source: Christine Pearson, University of North Carolina, 919-962-3117