Getting Constantly Interrupted at Work? Here’s What It Could Mean

Interruptions in a meeting may not even seem important in most cases. One person starts talking over another, interrupts a statement, or even goes as far as to dismiss a comment. This can eventually influence how team members interact and function within a team, while it may not be a big deal if it is an occasional occurrence. This type of occurrence is often referred to as “incivility” in various studies about the workplace. Incivility is often characterized by small actions that show a lack of respect, even if they are not necessarily aggressive. Various studies have identified this type of behavior as low intensity but repeated, meaning that it is not necessarily one single occurrence. Talking over someone is one example of this.

Some people interrupt because of stress or because they operate in a fast-moving environment where they have to talk fast to be heard, while others may interrupt to control or to stay visible in a conversation. Interruptions could be related to pressure or a lack of understanding of the effects on others, according to research published in MDPI. The position or power of individuals in a conversation also plays a role in interruptions. People in senior or dominant positions tend to talk more and interrupt others without even realizing it. This results in a situation where some individuals' contributions are heard, and others' contributions are minimized or not heard at all.

The effect is gradual but profound for the employees on the receiving end of the interruptions. They start experiencing frustration and loss of self-confidence due to the interruptions. They might also wonder whether their contributions are valued and whether their ideas are not given the opportunity to be heard. This will consequently affect their engagement and the value of participating in the group. Interruptions also disrupt the flow of thought. This makes it difficult for the employees to concentrate and make sense of what they are trying to communicate, which ultimately damages the quality of contributions and the rate of problem-solving in the group.

People’s behaviours start changing as well, as some pull back from contributing to the conversation so they are not interrupted again. Others might talk less and wait longer to share their ideas. These are minor happenings, but they help in creating an environment where there is less collaboration because there is less active participation. The workplace culture ultimately decides whether this behavior will continue. Research has shown that this behavior becomes widespread and actually lowers communication standards when interruptions are not addressed in a workplace culture. Constantly being interrupted is not just about communication style. It reflects deeper issues related to respect and team dynamics.