In recent years, significant shifts have occurred in political sentiment and cultural norms. Global events have produced widespread social and economic uncertainty, which has affected many people on a personal level. Your employees may be feeling increased stress from all that’s going on. They may also have differing opinions about it all.

In some cases, these rising stress levels and divisive rhetoric can create conflict in the workplace. According to recent research, over three-quarters of employees have experienced or witnessed incivility — defined as impolite or discourteous behavior — at least once a month. This might include:

• Intentional interruptions
• Rudeness
• Gossiping
• Bullying
• Teasing

It can become a detriment to your office environment and overall productivity when employees can’t put their differences aside and work together. When incivility is on the rise, it’s up to HR and business leaders to set the tone and help build a positive culture. Here’s what you need to know to help you accomplish that goal.

How Workplace Incivility Impacts an Organization

Though workplace incivility may start as a personal conflict between employees, this phenomenon can affect the entire organization by:

• Costing the business an average of 31 minutes of lost productivity per incident, which in turn costs U.S. employers a collective $1.2 billion per day
• Increasing turnover rates due to employees going in search of more civilized workplace cultures
• Creating negative impacts on the employer brand as candidates become hesitant to apply to an organization that tolerates hostility and disrespect
• Hindering compliance with laws that require businesses to do everything possible to prevent harassment and escalation to violence

For these reasons, it’s crucial for employers to keep harmful and uncivilized behavior at bay.

Strategies for Managing Incivility and Building Positive Cultures

Managing incivility takes a high level of care and sensitivity, but it can be challenging to know how to handle interpersonal conflict that seems out of your control. Consider the following strategies to help you balance care and concern for employees while maintaining a zero-tolerance policy for detrimental behaviors.

Set the Tone

Business and HR professionals must be intentional about modeling civility and reminding employees how civilized behavior is embedded in the company’s core values. Employees need to know that their leaders see workplace civility as a critical issue, as this may make them more likely to hold this behavior in high regard, even when their opinions differ.

Set Clear Expectations

You should have clear conduct policies and behavioral expectations outlined in the employee handbook. 

There should also be a system in place for employees to acknowledge that they have received, read, and understand the code of conduct and the consequences for not following it. This allows you to maintain a zero-tolerance policy for uncivilized behavior and hold employees accountable if they violate it.

Train Employees

As a business and HR leader, you can’t be there for every meeting or interaction. Consequently, you may consider training managers and employees on navigating incivility in the workplace. This can give employees the tools to manage conflicts at the ground level and provide knowledge on how to document and report incidents properly.

Maintain Neutrality

When employees feel that you are taking sides, it can heighten the conflict and create a culture of mistrust. Don’t feed into the negative behavior. Instead, take time to listen to both sides and allow employees to express themselves. 

Avoid trying to change anyone’s opinion and instead focus on helping employees get to the root of their issues and find a solution that allows them to build camaraderie and maintain a collaborative spirit.

Keep Communication Open

Sometimes, employees act out in negative ways because they don’t feel heard. Make sure that your team knows that their feedback is welcome as long as it’s communicated in a way that shows respect to all involved parties.

Build a Positive Workplace Culture One Civil Interaction at a Time

While it’s essential to protect employees’ rights to have an opinion, it is equally as crucial to ensure a positive workplace environment where everyone feels welcome and supported. This can be a challenge in the current social and political landscape, but employee productivity depends on it. 

If you want to build a better workplace environment, our team at AssetHR can help. Our expert consultants can provide you with strategies for maintaining a culture of high performance centered around strong values. 

Contact us today to see how our solutions can enhance your culture and employer brand, help you attract and retain top talent, and put you on the path to meet and exceed your strategic goals.