Focuses on the training and development needs of admin professionals and features topics such as hard skills (software competencies, writing, communication, filing) and soft skills (teamwork, time management, leadership).
Issue link: https://digital.hrreporter.com/i/751173
DECEMBER 2016 6 6 the reactions of people who had been subjected to incivility. Among the findings: • 48% intentionally decreased their work effort • 47% intentionally decreased the time spent at work • 38% intentionally decreased the quality of their work • 80% lost work time worrying about the incident • 63% lost work time avoiding the offender • 66% said that their performance declined • 78% said that their commitment to the organization declined • 12% said that they left their job because of the uncivil treatment • 25% admitted to taking their frustra - tion out on customers A 2011 survey by Canadian HR Reporter and Bar-David Consulting revealed that 92 per cent of human resource professionals agreed that incivility has negative effects on productivity, 80 per cent reported an impact on absenteeism and 72 per cent said customer service suffered as a result. Employee rudeness in the work- place observed by customers, whether directed at customers or other employees, has shown to have a dampening effect on whether the customer would continue to do busi- ness with that company. What to do? Seeking help from management or confronting the perpetrator can bring relief in some instances, but Porath favours thriving, a "psychological state in which a sense of vitality and self-improvement fortifies people against the vicissitudes of life." In other words, instead of trying to change the perpetrator or the work- ing relationship, one creates a buffer against the potentially corrosive effects of uncivil acts. This approach does not rule out reporting a rude co-worker to management or HR, or trying to manage the conflict directly, but in the long run making oneself impervious – or less vulnerable – to bad behaviour is more sustainable, Porath believes. She suggests a two-part approach: Take steps to thrive cognitively, including growth, momentum and continual learning; also take steps to thrive affectively ("feeling healthy and experiencing passion and excite- ment at work and outside it"). Cognitive growth can begin with identification of areas for personal development and the pursuit of av- enues to achieve them. These efforts don't have to be connected directly to work. New skills or hobbies can have the same effect. Affective growth can start with more attention paid to nutrition, sleep and stress management. Exercise is also good. "Those who exercise regularly are far less likely to sulk and better able to rebound in the wake of negative interactions," says Porath. At work, mindfulness – "shift - ing your consciousness to process situations more slowly and thought- fully and to respond with greater premeditation," says Porath – can help maintain equilibrium while fac- ing a difficult environment. Having a sense of purpose in one's job can be satisfying. Away from work, seeking leader- ship roles in the community can bolster both cognitive and affective thriving. Sometimes the incivility at work is intractable and the only solution may be to leave. Porath's research shows that for every eight people reporting uncivil behaviour at work, approxi- mately one person leaves as a direct result. But her research also shows "a consistently strong correlation between thriving outside work and resilience to incivility. In a study of people who experienced rudeness, those who flourished in nonwork activities reported 80 per cent better health, 89 per cent greater thriving at work, and 38 per cent more satisfac- tion with how they had handled the encounter." Incivility in the workplace Continued from page 1 Some resources for dealing with incivility "An Antidote to Civility," Christine Porath, Harvard Business Review, April 2016 "No Time to Be Nice at Work," Christine Porath, New York Times Sunday Review, June 19, 2015 "The Price of Incivility," Christine Porath and Christine Pearson, Harvard Business Review, January- February 2013 Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace, Christine Porath (Grand Central Publishing, 2016) The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't, Robert I. Sutton (paper - back, Business Plus, 2010) Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, Robert Sapolsky (Third Edition, Holt Paperbacks, 2004) "Incivility in the Workplace: How to Reduce Rudeness & Create a Professional Atmosphere," Marie G. McIntyre (a PDF) (www.nibmimages. com/handouts/Incivility13.pdf) Also visit: www.yourofficecoach.com www.sharonebardavid.com Bar-David Consulting, Toronto, specializes in helping organizations create civil work environments. Sharone Bar-David is author of Trust Your Canary: Every Leader's Guide to Taming Workplace Incivility and a frequent contributor to Canadian HR Reporter.