Why should we care about workplace incivility?

I distinctly remember the time when one of my ex bosses questioned my efficacy as a Recruiter just because I decided to postpone an interview of a candidate who was not keeping well. Not only did my ex boss question my efficacy as a Recruiter but she also questioned the candidate's intent to join the company. Needless to say, the company had a very toxic work culture where working late and well into the weekends was celebrated in the name of work-life balance.?

I often find myself pondering as to how civility is no longer a virtue. A snide remark, a boss who harmlessly "teases" his direct reports in a way that stings, questioning someone's efficiency over a sick leave, questioning a candidate's intent over the postponement of a scheduled interview, a boss pointing fingers when things go south but happily taking credit for every good news.These may not qualify as bullying, however they do end up crushing an employee's morale.

Many managers may feel that incivility is wrong but not all recognize that it has some tangible costs attached to it.

According to an article published on the Harvard Business Review, among workers who’ve been on the receiving end of incivility:?

? 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.?

? 12% said that they left their job because of the uncivil treatment.?

? 25% admitted to taking their frustration out on customers?

Also, as per a survey, managers at Fortune 1,000 firms spend the equivalent of seven weeks a year dealing with the aftermath of incivility.?

So, the question is, how do we tackle workplace incivility??

• About 25% of managers admitted to being uncivil because their leaders / role models were rude. If you see rude employees climbing up the corporate ladder, you're likely to follow suit.?
• To create a culture of respect and civility, it's important to be appreciative of the employees and to reward good behaviour.
• Hire for civility! Avoid bringing incivility into the workplace to begin with. Consider including your team in interviews to gauge a potential candidate. Your team might catch something you missed.
• I’ve found connecting with ex employees post 3 months extremely useful. Exit interviews always end up being vague. Interviews conducted 3 months or? later can yield a truer picture.Talking with former employees after they’ve distanced themselves from the organization and settled into their new work environments can give you insights about the violations of civility that prompted them to leave.

Civility breeds success, at an individual level as well as at an organisational level.?

CANCEL INCIVILITY, CHOOSE CIVILITY!??