Civility in the Workplace
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Civility in the workplace
Everyone wants to come to work and be treated with kindness and respect.
However, research by Christine Porath, author of “Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace,” indicates that a significant problem of incivility exists in many organizations. She discovered that, over two decades of surveying, 98% of workers reported experiencing rude behavior, while 99% have witnessed it. What’s even more alarming is that the situation appears to be deteriorating. In 2011, 50% of respondents stated they were treated poorly at least once a week — a rate that has doubled since 1998.
"Everyone wants to come to work and be treated with kindness and respect."
Our Support: Our goal is to guide and teach managers how to ensure that members of their team or department treat one another with respect and civility. We aim to address not only the symptoms but also the root causes of incivility.
For instance, one strategy we suggest is the introduction of a code of conduct, as exemplified by the Bryan Cave’s Code of Civility:
Bryan Cave’s Code of Civility:
- We greet and acknowledge each other.
- We say please and thank you.
- We treat each other equally and with respect, regardless of circumstances.
- We recognize the impact of our behavior on others.
- We are receptive to feedback from one another.
- We are approachable.
- We communicate directly, sensitively, and honestly.
- We appreciate the contributions of others.
- We value each other’s time.
- We confront and address incivility.
However, simply implementing a code of conduct is not sufficient. It’s vital to identify the disparity between people’s current behavior and the expected conduct. Then, it’s about equipping individuals with the skills they need to meet those expectations. We assist organizations in defining what civility means to them and coach individuals on how to practice it.
Impact: Operating in an environment characterized by effective communication, transparency, mutual respect, trust, and civility leads to reduced employee turnover, heightened job satisfaction, and high-performing teams poised to achieve superior outcomes.
