From Incivility to Civility – Transforming the Workplace with Leadership and HR Technology

In today’s workplace, creating a culture of respect and professionalism is no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have. However, across many organizations, workplace incivility is pervasive. Whether it’s passive-aggressive or overtly rude behaviors, microaggressions, or all the above, incivility can erode employee morale, collaboration, and productivity. HR and organizational leaders must understand the reasons behind incivility and take proactive steps to manage it to maintain a thriving work environment. Tools like a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) can help HR leaders be even more empowered to create a civil, respectful workplace. Let’s look at some of the reasons behind workplace incivility, the ways to address it, and how an HRIS can facilitate workplace civility.

Defining Workplace Incivility

Workplace incivility is defined as low-intensity, deviant behavior with ambiguous intent to harm the target, which violates workplace norms of mutual respect. These range from ignoring a colleague in a meeting to speaking to them condescendingly or gossiping behind their back. Though small, these things can build over time and contribute to toxic work environments and higher turnover.

The Most Common Causes of Workplace Incivility

1. Stress and Burnout: High-stress job settings can deplete patience and escalate irritability, causing employees to react unfavorably or to forgo manners.
2. No Accountability: Uncivil behaviors spread when leaders ignore or dismiss them.
3. Cultural or Personality Clashes: Differences in communication styles or work setup values can, sometimes, cause misunderstandings or conflict.
4. Low-Quality Leadership: Leaders who demonstrate disrespectful behaviors establish a tone that breeds incivility throughout the organization.
5. Unclear Expectations: If no expectations are set for employees’ behavior, employees may not be aware of what constitutes appropriate behavior.

The Impact of Incivility

Unchecked workplace rudeness can result in:

• Lowered Employee Engagement: When there is rudeness and discourtesy, employees will feel less valued and disengaged.
• Revolving Door: Unsurprisingly, workers in toxic environments tend to leave where they are working, searching for job environments they feel are more respectful.
• Reduced Productivity: Negativity affects communication, and indirect exchanges can divert staff away from their work.
• Tarnished Reputation: Companies with toxic cultures can find it challenging to recruit top talent.

How to Combat Incivility in the Workplace

1. Establish Clear Behavioral Expectations: Create and distribute a code of conduct that defines what is and is not appropriate and holds staff responsible. This helps everyone understand what appropriate and respectful behaviors look like in this context.
2. Lead by Example: The tone of workplace culture is set by leaders. Practicing civility, empathy, and fairness in day-to-day exchanges encourages employees to do the same.
3. Train for Emotional Intelligence: Training in emotional intelligence allows employees and leaders to improve their communication skills, empathy, and self-awareness. This can help to reduce possible differences and misunderstandings.
4. Foster Open Communication: Develop safe havens for employees to flag incivility without the fear of retribution. Listening to complaints and doing something about them will help build trust and prevent bad practices from continuing.
5. Foster Team Building: Invest money in team-building activities because when co-workers collaborate and understand each other better, they will be less likely to act uncivilly because they will be more familiar with the rest of their co-workers.
6. Address Issues Promptly: Don’t let incivility fester. When things happen, respond quickly and with equity to make sure that those involved are made aware of the consequences of their behavior.
7. Offer Stress Management Tools: Give employees the tools to alleviate stress, whether that be wellness programs, flexible work, or access to mental health support. A workforce that is less under stress is less likely to act in uncivil ways.
8. Recognize and Reward Civility: Recognizing and rewarding positive, respectful behavior emphasizes its importance. Awards like “Team Player of the Month” or recognizing kindness can further help build a culture of civility.

How an HRIS Can Help Foster a Civil Workplace

An HRIS Reform can Detect, Deal, and Prevent Workplace Incivility. Here’s how it can make a difference:

1. Centralized Communication of Policies: HRIS provides a one-stop-shop for organizations to share and update workplace policies, including codes of conduct, harassment policies, and anti-bullying initiatives. These guidelines are easy for employees to refer back to, and this reduces the ambiguity around the type of behaviors that are expected.
2. Anonymous Reporting Tools: Several HRIS systems have grievance reporting systems through which employees can report incidents of incivility or harassment anonymously. This creates a safe environment and allows issues to arise before they become widespread.
3. Monitoring and Analytics: Using data analytics and reporting tools, an HRIS can aid HR leaders in identifying trends of ungentlemanliness, such as elevated turnover or complaints in particular teams or departments. This data enables leaders to take meaningful action on shortcomings.
4. Employee Engagement Surveys: Pulse surveys (surveys conducted at regular intervals) or engagement surveys incorporated into an HRIS can provide insight into workplace culture and the civility index of the workplace. Such surveys can reveal areas of the workplace where staffers feel disrespected or undervalued, giving HR a chance to take corrective actions.
5. Training and Development Monitoring: An HRIS can facilitate the administration and tracking of these training programs to foster emotional intelligence, diversity and inclusion, and conflict resolution. After they learn what behaviors are unacceptable, providing this training allows employees and leaders to establish a more civil workplace.
6. Recognition Programs: Automating recognition programs within your HRIS creates opportunities to mark and reward civility. Shared methods such as peer nominations and points-based recognition systems encourage employees to recognize each other’s positive contributions.
7. Stress Management Tools: Wellness features embedded in many HRIS platforms, such as stress management programs and access to mental health resources, can help employees cope with work-induced stresses and mitigate the risk of uncivil behavior.

HR and Organizational Leader Responsibility

HR leaders play a critical role in shaping company culture, and utilizing HRIS tools can help increase the impact. When they align technology with strategic initiatives designed to increase civility, they can create a workplace where employees feel respected, valued, and inspired to make a contribution. Not only does this improve individual performance, but it also contributes to organizational performance.

A Call to Action

Workplace civility is more than the absence of conflict — it is the cultivation of an environment in which employees thrive. By tackling issues that lead to incivility, taking proactive steps, and utilizing tools like an HRIS, HR and organizational leaders can help ensure that their workplace is a place where everyone is treated with respect and can thrive and support each other. Incivility starts small, but its ripple effects can spread wide. The good news? So, too, can the ripple effects of civility. Start today in creating a more courteous, engaged, and productive workplace – one that’s empowered by HR tech.