American workplaces are facing a growing civility crisis that is costing companies dearly.

According to new research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), rudeness and discourteous behavior are costing U.S. businesses an estimated $2.1 billion every day in lost productivity, absenteeism and disengagement. The problem doesn’t stop at rudeness: a separate study shows a sharp rise in workplace violence, suggesting that incivility and more serious misconduct are increasingly intertwined.

For employers, both studies should be a wake-up call to address incivility, bullying and other actions that can destabilize the workplace and possibly lead to lawsuits if severe enough.

SHRM’s Civility Index found that U.S. workers collectively experience 208 million acts of incivility each day, from curt emails and dismissive tones to eye-rolling or gossip. While these behaviors might seem minor in isolation, they add up to staggering losses.

Where incivility goes unchecked, managers in SHRM’s study reported:

• Lower psychological safety,
• Weaker team cohesion, and
• Diminished trust.

 

SHRM pointed to the following as major drivers of the trend:

• Political polarization,
• Residual pandemic stress, and
• “Digital bravery,” the tendency to say things behind a screen that one would never say face-to-face.

 

The effect, according to SHRM Chief Human Resources Officer Jim Link, is a workplace culture where even routine communication is more easily perceived as hostile.

 

From incivility to violence

While rudeness doesn’t always lead to violence, patterns suggest the two are related.

Traliant’s 2025 Employee Survey on Workplace Violence and Safety found that 30% of workers witnessed workplace violence in the past year, up from 25% in 2024. Fifteen percent said they had personally been targeted, up from 12% in 2023. Industries like hospitality and health care were particularly affected.

The overlap matters for employers. A culture that tolerates disrespectful behavior can erode trust and embolden more extreme actions. Even if uncivil acts are not illegal, they create a climate where violence, harassment or retaliation is more likely to emerge.

 

Preventing incivility at work

Drawing from SHRM’s recommendations and best practices, here are practical strategies employers can use to address problems before they escalate:

• Set clear expectations: Define what respectful behavior looks like in your organization and communicate consequences for violations.
• Provide communication training: Help employees navigate disagreements without crossing the line into hostility.
• Model civility at the top: Leaders who practice respect and professionalism set the standard for everyone else.
• Promote open dialogue: Encourage feedback and ensure employees feel safe raising concerns.
• Recognize positive behavior: Reward and acknowledge employees who contribute to a healthy workplace culture.
• Offer anonymous reporting: Give employees safe channels to flag issues without fear of retaliation.
• Invest in inclusivity and mental health: Unconscious biases and cultural misunderstandings can fuel incivility at work. Inclusivity training can help educate employees about biases and cultural competency to reduce misunderstandings.
• Use de-escalation techniques: Train managers to calmly defuse conflicts before they spiral.

 

Takeaway

For executives, the message is clear: incivility is not just an HR problem, it’s a bottom-line issue.

A disengaged workforce translates into lost output, higher turnover, reputational risk and in severe cases costly litigation. Unlike external market conditions, workplace culture is something leaders can directly influence.

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