Toward a Positive Work Environment - Incivility in the workplace: Combating toxicity and improving workplace climate

Complaints about incivility, bullying, and other toxic behaviors in the workplace are often met with advice to “just ignore it,” or “don’t let the haters get to you.”  However, research shows that incivility in the workplace has real consequences on the performance, well-being, and health of all – even those who are not targets or who claim to be able to ignore it.  In this presentation, we will discuss how incivility affects our attention, information processing, decision-making, creativity and other relevant aspects of being productive, in addition to effects on relationships, job satisfaction, and individual mental and physical health.  Common objections to taking an active approach to addressing incivility will be discussed (e.g., freedom of speech, intellectual freedom) and participants will share strategies for creating a more civil workplace climate.