Being Nice Improves the Bottom Line
Categories: Organization Effectiveness, Performance Management
Do civil behaviors in the workplace make a difference? Recently a group of researchers studied the impact of workplace incivility on both work and personal health outcomes.
They defined workplace incivility as:
- low intensity deviant behavior
- with an ambiguous intent to harm the target
- in violation of workplace norms for mutual respect.
Uncivil behaviors are characteristically rude and discourteous; they display a lack of respect for others. Examples include sarcasm, disparaging tones, disparaging remarks, hostile stares, and the silent treatment.
The authors of the study found a direct link between the degree of incivility experienced at work and the following important outcomes:
- satisfaction with work
- satisfaction with supervisors
- intent to quit
- overall mental health
There is obviously a payoff to the organization and to its employees for being civil.
What is your organization doing to assure that civil behaviors are the norm and not the exception?
-Scontrino-Powell
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