WORKPLACE INCIVILITY and a Growing Trend of Unprofessional Behavior

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WORKPLACE INCIVILITY and a growing trend of unprofessional behavior

Compiled by the BC Center for Work & Family

February 2014

Definition: Incivility is a low intensity deviant behavior with ambiguous intent to harm the target, in violation of workplace norms for mutual respect and courtesy (What is workplace incivility, why should we care, and what should we do?, HR Zone, 2013).

There are three main types of incivility:

• Interpersonal: involves one person being directly uncivil toward another person • Cyber: is behavior exhibited through digital communications, such as emails, texts, and social media. Examples of cyber incivility include sending blunt or terse emails, or purposely ignoring emails sent by certain individuals. • “victimless.”: is rude behavior that does not immediately impact another person but violates norms for courtesy, for example, not refilling the office coffee machine or printer (What is workplace incivility, why should we care, and what should we do?, HR Zone, 2013).

Examples of Incivility in the Workplace

HOW WIDESPREAD IS WORKPLACE INCIVILITY?

98% of employees have reported experiencing uncivil behavior. In 2011, 50% of employees said they were treated rudely at least once a week—up from 25% in 1998 (The Price of Incivility, Harvard Business Review, 2013).

Research has estimated that prevalence rates of workplace incivility may be between 75% and 100%, meaning that nearly all employees have experienced workplace incivility from their coworkers, supervisors, or clients (What is workplace incivility, why should we care, and what should we do?, HR Zone, 2013).

50% of employees say they experience workplace incivility at least once a week, according to a continuing study by Georgetown University and the Thunderbird School of Global Management (How Rude! Workplace Incivility Could Destroy Your Company, Inc.com, 2013).

Dr. Christine Porath, a Georgetown University professor who studies workplace incivility, says that some of us are so overwhelmed by our responsibilities at work that we may not even realize that we are being rude or uncivil to others(What’s Behind A Rise in Workplace Bullying?, USA Today, 2013).

WHY SHOULD ORGANIZATIONS CARE ABOUT WORKPLACE INCIVILITY?

Among workers who’ve been on the receiving end of incivility (The Price of Incivility, Harvard Business Review, 2013):

• 48% intentionally decreased their work effort. • 47% intentionally decreased the time spent at work. • 38% intentionally decreased the quality of their work. • 80% lost work time worrying about the incident. • 63% lost work time avoiding the offender. • 66% said that their performance declined. • 78% said that their commitment to the organization declined. o 26% of employees have left a job because of impolite or abrasive coworkers (How Rude! Workplace Incivility Could Destroy Your Company, Inc.com) • 12% said that they left their job because of the uncivil treatment. • 25% admitted to taking their frustration out on customers.

Workplace incivility can lead to a decrease in engagement and increases in stress and absenteeism due to health reasons (What’s Behind A Rise in Workplace Bullying?, USA Today, 2013). Employees are also significantly less creative when they experience workplace incivility (What’s Behind A Rise in Workplace Bullying?, USA Today, 2013). In a study, participants who experienced incivility were 30% less creative than others who did not, they produced 25% fewer ideas, and the ones they did come up with were less original (The Price of Incivility, Harvard Business Review, 2013). Employees who witness workplace incivility are more likely to have depressive symptoms (What’s Behind A Rise in Workplace Bullying?, USA Today, 2013).

Workplace incivility can also damage customer relationships. Research has shown that customers are less likely to purchase products from a company with an employee they perceive as rude, whether the uncivil behavior is directed at them or at other employees. Witnessing one unpleasant interaction leads consumers to generalize about other employees, the organization, and the brand (The Price of Incivility, Harvard Business Review, 2013).

Incivility can cost companies a lot of money. Cisco Systems estimates that it costs their company over $8.3 million a year in turnover, weakened commitment, and lost productivity (How Rude! Workplace Incivility Could Destroy Your Company, Inc.com). As a result, they created a global workplace civility program (The Price of Incivility, Harvard Business Review, 2013).

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

• Recognize and reward employees who model civil behavior o Zappos implemented a “Wow” recognition program designed to reward employees for doing the right thing. Any employee at any level who sees a colleague doing something special can give a “Wow,” which includes a cash bonus of up to $50. Recipients of a “Wow” are automatically eligible for a “Hero” award. Heroes are chosen by top

executives; they receive a covered parking spot for a month, a $150 Zappos gift card, and a hero’s cape (The Price of Incivility, Harvard Business Review, 2013). • Provide training and coaching to help employees to identify problem behavior and to respond appropriately • Foster open communication practices for sharing concerns or reporting incidents • Make sure management is setting a strong example by modeling civil behavior and helping to create a culture of respect o 25% of managers who admitted to having behaved badly stated they were uncivil because their leaders were rude (The Price of Incivility, Harvard Business Review, 2013) o If managers are tolerating or embracing uncivil behavior, employees are more likely to feel this is acceptable for them to do also o Good behavior may include turning off one’s phone during meetings, paying attention to questions, and following up on promises • Make norms for courtesy and respect evident to employees starting during the recruitment stage • During the hiring process, thoroughly check applicants’ references for indications of consistent uncivil or rude behavior, and select candidates with personality traits such as conscientiousness that might be related to civil behavior o Southwest Airlines and the Four Seasons prioritize civility when they interview applicants (The Price of Incivility, Harvard Business Review, 2013) o Only 11% of organizations take civility into account during the hiring process (The Price of Incivility, Harvard Business Review, 2013) • Regularly communicate civility expectations to all employees o Ochsner Health System instituted a “10/5 rule,” employees are expected to make eye contact with anyone who comes within 10 feet of them, and greet anyone who is standing within five feet. Ochsner also has a “no-venting” policy, frustrated employees must go to designated “safe zones” to vent, such as a private office (How Rude! Workplace Incivility Could Destroy Your Company, Inc.com). Adherence to these policies factors into employee evaluations. • As a manager, ask for feedback from your direct reports. o A manager at Hanover Insurance asked his employees what they liked and did not like about his leadership style. He learned that they disliked that he glanced at his phone or responded to e-mails during meetings, which he now refrains from doing (The Price of Incivility, Harvard Business Review, 2013).