Is workplace rudeness on the rise?

  You don’t have to look hard to see uncivil behavior these days, whether in political discourse, in college classrooms, or on airplanes. One study found that rudeness is even contagious like the common cold.

  The workplace, where my research is focused, is hardly immune from this so-called incivility epidemic. Past surveys suggest virtually all workers experience rude or uncivil behavior, while over half report being treated badly at least once a week. And some researchers have claimed it’s pervasive and getting worse.