Is It Time to Take Civility Seriously?
Lately, more business leaders are saying what their employees are already feeling: something’s off. Whether it’s snippy emails, breakroom tension, or managers getting ghosted by direct reports, workplace incivility is creeping in—and it’s costing more than just morale.
According to SHRM’s 2024 Civility Index, nearly two-thirds of employees say they’ve experienced or witnessed incivility at work within the past 30 days (SHRM, 2024). It’s not just coworkers, either – managers are part of the problem, and often not part of the solution. Sixty-six percent of workers believe their manager could have done more to address disrespectful behavior (SHRM, 2024).
This isn’t just a culture issue. It’s a retention issue, a performance issue, and in some cases, a risk issue. When left unchecked, incivility chips away at effort and drives out high-performing employees (Noranda Education, 2024).
And it’s not just internal. Forbes reports that rude customer behavior is also fueling burnout and turnover, especially among frontline and service workers (Forbes, 2023). In other words, it’s not only policies shaping the workplace, it’s the people your team deals with every day.
Cultural Problems Need Cultural Solutions
Sometimes the issue facing a business leader isn’t about one person. It’s the tone of the whole place. This kind of tension often stems from stress – personal, professional, societal. On average, Americans spend one-third of their lives at work, roughly 90,000 hours, according to McKinsey & Company (McKinsey, 2023).
In short, work plays a major role in people’s lives. That’s why civility isn’t a soft or “woke” idea. A more civil workplace isn’t just good for people, it’s good for business. And in today’s climate, it’s one of the smartest investments a business can make.
What Conflict and Culture Can Do
At Conflict and Culture, we believe civility isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s about creating a place where people want to work and want the organization to succeed.
Here’s How We Help:
Facilitate honest retention conversations to understand what’s driving frustration
Lead practical workplace trainings and team-building exercises that reset expectations and reestablish trust and buy-in
Coach leaders and managers through the tough conversations – especially when performance or communication issues need to be addressed directly but respectfully
In closing, because I know you’ve got a business to run, a civil workplace isn’t just a nice concept. It’s the foundation for better conversations, stronger teams, and work that actually works. And it’s well within reach – and it’s time to take it seriously.
