SKIP TO CONTENT
Harvard Business Review LogoHarvard Business Review Logo
The Big Idea Series/Incivility on the Front Lines of Business
Harvard Business Review Logo
Ryan Snook
Business and society
The Big Idea Series/Incivility on the Front Lines of Business

Frontline Work When Everyone Is Angry

Today’s public-facing employees deal with insults, rants, and rudeness — and leaders must better protect them. Here’s how. by Christine Porath

November 9, 2022
The Big Idea Series  /  Incivility on the Front Lines of Business

Summary.   

In October 2020 Dr. Adrienne Boissy, then the chief patient experience officer at Cleveland Clinic, had a big problem, and it wasn’t just Covid-19. Caregivers at the hospital, already stretched thin by the pandemic, were coming to her with alarming reports of abusive behavior from patients and visitors: mean comments, screaming tirades, even racist insults. “It’s never been so bad!” she told me.

Read more on Business and society or related topics Managing conflicts, Customer service, Workplace health and safety, Burnout and Stress management
The Big Idea Series  /  Incivility on the Front Lines of Business
Read more on Business and society or related topics Managing conflicts, Customer service, Workplace health and safety, Burnout and Stress management

Recommended For You

Negotiating Skills
How to Build a Power Map for Your Project
Podcast
How to Lead a Successful Turnaround
Professional Networks
How Successful People Network with Each Other
Professional Networks
Networking When You Hate Talking to Strangers

Partner Center