This document discusses workplace incivility and its consequences. It begins by providing examples of low-level uncivil behaviors like talking down to others and withholding information. It then notes that most people who engage in these behaviors do not intend to be rude. The document outlines research finding that incivility is very common, with 96% of people experiencing it and 99% witnessing it. Incivility can negatively impact performance, health, satisfaction, and motivation. It may also increase turnover, with 20-25% of targets and observers leaving their jobs. Abusive supervision is considered an even worse form of incivility that is intentional and hostile. Abusive supervision can trickle down and negatively impact subordinates' family lives as

2. How many of you have worked alongside an uncivil or rude
coworker?
How did those experiences affect...
• You
• Your work
• Your health
• Your family
• Your desire to get revenge
Let’s take a look at an example...

4. Incivility Behaviors
Low level rude behaviors
• Talking down to others
• Not listening
• Talking over or interrupting others
• Withholding information
• Showing little interest in others’ opinions
• Making demeaning or derogatory remarks

5. Do you see yourself in any of these behaviors?But, do people intend
to be rude or uncivil at work?

6. Incivility – Who Cares?
96% Experienced it 99% Witnessed it

7. Consequences?
48% intentionally
decrease work
effort / time
38% intentionally
decrease work
quality
80% lost time
worrying over
incident
63% lost time
avoiding the
offender
78% said
commitment to
organization declined

8. Performance Costs?
20% decline in
concentration at work
65-75% drop in
helpfulness
33% decline in
verbal tasks
25-49% drop
in helpfulness
Incivility Targets Incivility Observers

9. Toxic Environments
30% less likely to feel
vital and energetic
36% less satisfied with
their jobs
Uncivil workplaces
30% less likely to feel
motivated to learn new skills
Less inclined to:
• act in the company’s best interests
• take steps to prevent problems
• attend company functions
• keep up with company developments

10. HR Costs
Managers and executives of the
Fortune 1000 firms spend about
13% of their total work time –
seven full weeks per year –
dealing with effects of incivility
In 2007 Cisco Systems Inc.
estimated the cost of incivility in its
organization at $8.3M annually

11. Ripple Effect of Incivility
Workplace Incivility Marital Dissatisfaction
Stress transmitted
to family

12. Revenge is (not so) sweet
94% of targets get
even with their
offender
88% of targets get
even with their
organization

13. How?
75% have stolen
from their employer
once
37% have stolen
from their employer
twice
in employee theft annually in the U.S.$200,000,000,000

14. Turnover Costs
20% of observers leave
• Low level departures
30-50% of salary - $
• Mid-level managers
150% of salary - $$
• High level employees
can top 400% of salary - $$$
25% of targets leave

15. Spiral &
Escalation• Incivility, though often unintentional, is harmful
• Having an abusive supervisor (or coworker?) is
even worse!
– Intentional
– Hostile
– “Strategically used” by some supervisors
• Sets the tone for the organization or group culture
• “This is how we treat each other”

16. Abusive Supervisors
• How many of you have had or know of someone else
who has had an abusive supervisor or manager?
• Think about what kind of impact those experiences had
on your life at work...or your life OUTSIDE of work.

17. What does an Abusive Supervisor Do?
Sustained display of hostile verbal and nonverbal behaviors
• Tells subordinates that their thoughts or feelings are stupid
• Silent treatment
• Puts subordinates down in front of others
• Blames subordinates to save himself / herself embarrassment
• Breaks promises he / she makes
• Expresses anger at subordinates when he / she is mad for
another reason

19. Self Assessment
When was the last time...
• You said “Thank you”
• You said “I’m sorry”
• A subordinate or coworker brought you ‘bad news’
• A subordinate quit...or multiple subordinates quit?
(Employees don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses!)

20. Who Cares?
13.6% of US workers
experience it
90% of nurses
experience it
Estimated to cost annually$23,800,000,000

21. Consequences
• Trickles down two levels from abusive
manager…and over to the subordinate’s family
• Diminished subordinate creativity, self-esteem
• Increased subordinate emotional exhaustion,
depression, insomnia
• Subordinates less likely to ‘go above and beyond’

22. Ripple Effect of Abuse
Abusive Supervision Relationship Tension
& Family Functioning
Work to Family
Conflict

23. An Ounce of Prevention
Keep uncivil people out of your organization!
• Vendors, contractors, customers, employees
• Selectivity in recruitment / selection
Teach civility through building competencies
• Listening
• Conflict resolution
• Negotiation
• Dealing with difficult people
• Stress management

24. What’s an Organization to do?
Set Zero-Tolerance Expectations
• Shapes behavior
• Sets a norm
• Start with your mission or values statement

25. What’s an Organization to do?
Have Managers Look in the Mirror
• Strive to live by the norms set
• Less likely to hear negative information as we climb the ladder
• Upward evaluations or 360-degree feedback (anonymously
collected)

26. What’s an Organization to do?
Take complaints seriously
• Open door policy
• Gather data quickly
• Get the facts
• Act swiftly

27. What’s an Organization to do?
Don’t make excuses for powerful instigators or high
performers
• Don’t move the offender to a new location!
• Incivility is like a virus, it’s contagious...and can spread easily

29. Unique Approaches
Department devoted to sending notes of support when a
family member is ill or congratulations when a baby is
born
10/5 Rule
• Making eye contact with anyone within 10 feet
• Greeting anyone within 5 feet
• “No venting rule” – retreat to a ‘safe zone’ (like a private
nursing manager’s office) to express frustration
• Employee evaluations take into account whether these
procedures are being followed!

30. questions?

31. thank you