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Purpose Using observational and experimental designs, the purpose of this study was to explore if the power relation between the offender and the victim of incivility and the level of perceived severity of the incivility were associated with bystanders’ intentions to help when witnessing workplace incivility. Design/methodology/approach In Study 1, 160 participants completed a questionnaire where they described a recent uncivil incident they had witnessed, and completed measures of perceived severity and measures of their behavioural response as bystanders. In Study 2, 183 participants were randomised to read one of two vignettes (a manager being uncivil towards a subordinate or vice versa), and completed measures of perceived severity and of their motivation to intervene. The authors investigated whether the power relation between perpetrator and victim, and the perceived severity of the uncivil exchange, were associated with prosocial bystander behaviours in Study 1 and with motivation to defend the victim of incivility in Study 2. Findings Higher perpetrator power was significantly associated with the incident being perceived as more severe, and higher perpetrator power was directly related to greater tendency to confront, and lower tendency to avoid, the perpetrator. Perpetrator power was indirectly associated with social support according to the perceived severity. A supervisor acting in an uncivil manner was rated as more severe than a subordinate acting in such a way. Perceived severity mediated the relationship between perpetrator power and the witness’s introjected, identified and intrinsic motivation to intervene. Originality/value This study extends previous work by investigating how the perpetrator’s power influences both the bystander’s prosocial behaviour and their motivation to defend the victim. Furthermore, previous research has not considered how perceptions of severity might mediate the relationship between power, behaviour and motivation.

PurposeGiven the harmful effects of workplace incivility and the calls for revealing the antecedents of instigated incivility, this study examines how employee-instigated incivility unfolds as a result of negative mood contagion from leaders to employees.Design/methodology/approachDrawing upon affective events theory, the authors hypothesized that leader negative mood is contagious and has an indirect relationship with employee-instigated incivility through employee negative mood. For hypothesis testing, data were collected from 243 leader-employee dyads and tested using bootstrapped mediation analysis.FindingsAs hypothesized, leader negative mood was associated with employee-instigated incivility indirectly through employee negative mood. This finding supports that negative mood of the leader is contagious and might unintendedly trigger employee-instigated incivility toward other at work.Research limitations/implicationsGiven the cross-sectional design of this study, causal inferences could not be drawn. The direction of relationships between the variables is based on the theoretical assumptions, rather than a test of the causal ordering of the variables.Originality/valueThis study advances the limited literature on the antecedents of employee-instigated incivility by demonstrating the impact of negative mood experienced by leaders on uncivil behaviors of employees.

PurposeAlthough past research has looked into myriad consequences of workplace incivility, little attention has been paid to the effects of supervisor incivility (SI) on employees’ sense of vitality and their discretionary work effort (DWE). Moreover, the mechanisms that drive the harmful effects of SI remain largely unknown. The current study seeks to address these gaps in the literature. In particular, this study aims to examine how SI culminates in decreased DWE.Design/methodology/approachAdopting a cross-sectional survey design, data for this study were gathered from 151 employees of two large companies in the financial services sector of Pakistan. A number of analysis techniques (e.g. confirmatory factor analysis and bootstrapping) were used to analyze the data.FindingsAs predicted, SI was found to be negatively associated both with subordinates’ sense of vitality and DWE while vitality was found to be positively associated with DWE. Findings also indicated that one way in which SI negatively affects subordinates’ DWE is by decreasing their sense of vitality.Practical implicationsThis study offers several useful implications for management practice in relation to preventing SI and mitigating its effects and bolstering employees’ sense of vitality.Originality/valueTo the best of the knowledge, this study is the first to unpack the relationship dynamics of SI, vitality and DWE, and to introduce a mechanism by which SI translates into reduced DWE.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to test the mediating influence of workplace ostracism in the relationship between organizational cronyism and social capital. In addition, the authors posited that workplace incivility would interact with cronyism to directly influence social capital, and indirectly through its effect on workplace ostracism.Design/methodology/approachUsing data collected in four waves, with a time interval of six weeks between each wave, from 358 university faculty members, the authors used the PROCESS macro to test the proposed moderated mediation model.FindingsResults indicated that workplace ostracism mediates the influence of organizational cronyism on social capital, and that workplace incivility interacts with cronyism to influence social capital directly, and indirectly through its effect on workplace ostracism.Originality/valueMost studies of social capital are theoretical. The few empirical studies have focused on factors that contribute to social capital and virtually no research exists on factors that undermine social capital. Based on the premise that negative interpersonal relationships are far more powerful in explaining outcomes relative to positive interpersonal relations and the notion that “bad is stronger than good,” the authors draw on social exchange theory and the norm of negative reciprocity to test a moderated mediation model and identify a mechanism and the condition under which social capital is undermined. The results have important implications for theory, research and practice.

PurposeIn this paper, the impact of customer incivility on work engagement was investigated. The authors also explored whether supervisor positive gossip and workplace friendship prevalence moderated the impact of customer incivility on work engagement in the Nigerian context.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a time-lagged design to collect data from 258 frontline casual dining restaurant employees across city centers in South-eastern Nigeria who completed Time 1 and Time 2 paper surveys after a one-month interval.FindingsStructural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that while customer incivility was negatively lx`inked to work engagement, supervisor positive gossip and workplace friendship prevalence were positively linked to work engagement. It was also found that both supervisor positive gossip and workplace friendship prevalence moderated the negative connection between customer incivility and work engagement.Practical implicationsOne proactive way to forestall the negative impact of customer incivility on work engagement is for managers to devise approaches to decrease the impact of uncivil customer behaviors, such as developing an atmosphere that engenders friendship and speaking positively to subordinates about other employees' work behaviors.Originality/valueAlthough increased scholarly attention has been paid to workplace incivility, customer incivility has not been sufficiently addressed. Earlier research on workplace gossip is influenced by the widely-held belief that gossip is often negative, with far less attention given to the sunny side of gossip. This study is one of the earliest efforts to examine the moderating roles of supervisor positive gossip and workplace friendship prevalence in the negative link between customer incivility and work engagement in the hospitality industry.

PurposeThis study aims to examine the role of leader-member exchange social comparison (LMXSC) perceptions in triggering the instigation of uncivil behavior in the workplace. This study also explores the intervening role of envy and the buffering role of aggression-preventive supervisor behavior within the proposed relationship.Design/methodology/approachData were collected in two phases separated by an interval of four weeks. The final sample consisted of 224 full-time white-collar employees working in five large pharmaceutical manufacturing organizations in India.FindingsThe findings indicate that employees’ subjective perceptions of being involved in poorer-quality LMX relationships than their workgroup members generate envy, which, in turn, evokes them to instigate uncivil behaviors onto those higher-LMX counterparts. The indirect effect of LMX social comparison on instigated workplace incivility through envy gets attenuated when supervisors engage in aggression-preventive behavior.Practical implicationsTo protect organizations from the financial and productivity losses associated with incivility, supervisors are encouraged to exhibit aggression-preventive behavior if they form differentiated exchange relationships with the subordinates in their teams. Supervisors are further advised to avoid the altogether neglect of lower-LMX subordinates as doing so may give rise to negative emotions (envy) and behavior (incivility) among them.Originality/valueThis study expands the limited body of knowledge on the antecedents of uncivil employee behavior in the workplace. Specifically, it unveils that incivility toward coworkers may be stemming from unfavorable LMX social comparisons and ensuing negative emotions such as envy. It also offers insights on reducing uncivil behavior by highlighting that the impact of LMXSC and envy on incivility instigation gets buffered in the presence of aggression-preventive supervisor behavior.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the implication of workplace incivility among employees in the public service department in Putrajaya involving job satisfaction, work stress, psychological contract, knowledge sharing and work engagement. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional study examines the implication of workplace incivility among 180 employees in the Malaysian public service organization. Purposive sampling was used in this study. Partial least square was used to examine the measurement and the structural model of this study. Findings The result demonstrated that workplace incivility was associated with the psychological contract, job satisfaction, work stress and work engagement. The study also found that workplace incivility does not impact knowledge sharing in the public service organization department. Practical implications Future research could provide a more broadened scope to ensure the generalization of the results for the overall public service in Malaysia. Human resource development researchers could look into experimental studies to raise the awareness of workplace incivility that may lead to the decline of workplace incivility. Originality/value The research could trigger more empirical research toward understanding the phenomenon and implication of workplace incivility in the perspective of Malaysian public service organizations specifically in Asian countries, which are currently limited.

PurposeThis research study looks at issues such as why does incivility occur, dynamics responsible for incivility with an emphasis on causes stimulated by the general context and its influence on the behavior of individuals, groups and organizations.Design/methodology/approachThis paper provides a fresh perspective on workplace incivility by integrating institutional theory with empirical data from two case studies from academic institutions located in different continents to understand incivility in organizations. A comparative case analysis across two different geographical regions is used to validate the argument that institutional antecedents can influence micro-level organizational events such as employee incivility despite variance in geographical locations and cultural dimensions.FindingsThe findings of the study reveal that academic institutions are subject to uncivil behaviors, which could be a direct offshoot of the historical and cultural beliefs of the society. The general context of the studied cases led to workplace incivility mainly in the form of racial prejudices and sectarianism transferred to the organizational day-to-day practice. The paper suggests a pragmatic view for possible interventions to humanize workplaces where it is better not to adopt a “one size fits all” recipe to deal with such a complex phenomenon.Originality/valueThis paper provides a macro-level analysis of workplace incivility by assuming an institutional perspective to explore the relationships if any between incivility experienced by employees within an organization and the wider political and historical structuration of the society.

Purpose Antecedents and influences of workplace incivility have recently been studied in many areas of research but there is still a lack of consideration for the impact of culture. Theoretical considerations for the present research are based on the cultural dimensions of power distance and tightness/looseness because the collective levels of power distance are similar between Korea and Spain, but the collective levels of tightness/looseness are different between the two countries. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether individuals’ occupational position affects their normative reactions to incivility differently. Design/methodology/approach Participant (victim)’s (those who react to uncivil behaviors) social power (low vs high) and perpetrator’s (those who exhibit uncivil behaviors) social power (low vs high) were experimentally manipulated; all participants were randomly assigned to one of four perpetrator × victim conditions in relation to hierarchical positions (Ntot = 467). Findings The results suggest that the level of social and personal acceptability was greater either among Koreans than Spanish at a collective level or among people who endorsed higher power distance and tightness values. All in all, the findings highlight cultural influences on the importance of social hierarchy as a factor that can impact the people’s normative reactions to incivility. Originality/value The findings broaden our understanding of the psychology of employees in relation to incivility, by simultaneously considering the influences of culture (power distance and tightness/looseness) and social power.

PurposeThis empirical study explored how coworker incivility and customer incivility affect the work engagement and job performance of frontline employees.Design/methodology/approachTo investigate the incivility and characteristics of hospitality industry workplaces, this study recruited frontline employees from tourist hotels as study participants. Because complete contact information could not be obtained for this population, convenience sampling was employed. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection.FindingsCoworker incivility and customer incivility reduced work engagement and job performance. The effects of coworker incivility on the work engagement and job performance are greater than those of customer incivility. Furthermore, work engagement has a positive effect on the job performance.Originality/valueAlthough studies have investigated the effects of customer incivility, these effects have not been compared with those of coworker incivility. Moreover, studies on the influence of coworker and customer incivility on job performance and work engagement in the hospitality industry and on those of work engagement on job performance have been scant. The current empirical study investigated the effects of coworker and customer incivility on the job performance and work engagement and of frontline hospitality employees.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between supervisor and coworkers’ workplace incivility and newcomer proactive behaviors. Drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory, the authors examined resource depletion as a mediator and newcomer proactive personality, as well as their current organizational tenure as moderators of the relationship between workplace incivility toward newcomers and their proactive behaviors.Design/methodology/approachA time-lagged research design was used to test hypotheses with data covering 322 newcomers and their immediate supervisors in two subsidiaries of a large food processing company in China. Regression analysis using the PROCESS macro in SPSS is used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that workplace incivility toward newcomers is negatively related to their proactive behaviors. This relationship is mediated by resource depletion. Furthermore, newcomers’ proactive personality moderates the relationship between workplace incivility and resource depletion. Moreover, both the direct effect of workplace incivility on resource depletion and its indirect effect on newcomer proactive behaviors are moderated by the combination of newcomer proactive personality and their current organizational tenure.Originality/valueDrawing on COR theory, a theoretical framework is constructed that specifies the process through which workplace incivility affects proactive behaviors to expand collective understandings of workplace incivility in the newcomer context. Furthermore, the boundary conditions of the underlying process are investigated, which further enhances the contribution of this paper to the extant literature on workplace incivility.

PurposeThis multilevel study investigates the effect of employees' perception of nepotism on tolerance to workplace incivility through the mediating role of psychological contract violation and the moderating role of authentic leadership in organizations.Design/methodology/approachUsing time-lagged data from 547 frontline employees working in four- and five-star hotels, this study's hypotheses were analyzed by conducting hierarchical regression analysis and hierarchical linear modelling.FindingsThe findings indicate that non-family members' perception of nepotism triggered perceived tolerance to the uncivil behavior of family members by the management and that this relationship between nepotism perception and tolerance to workplace incivility was mediated by psychological contract violation. In line with expectations, authentic leadership moderated the effect of nepotism perception on tolerance to workplace incivility.Originality/valueThis study is among the first to examine the effects of nepotism perception on tolerance to workplace incivility by focusing on the mediator role of psychological contract violation at the individual level and the moderator role of authentic leadership at the group level.

PurposeThis paper investigated the relationships among workaholism, work–family enrichment (work–life enrichment), and workplace incivility.Design/methodology/approachData on workaholism, incivility, and work–family enrichment were collected through the administration of a survey on 414 employees of a public bank in Iran.FindingsWorkaholism and life–work enrichment were positively and negatively related to uncivil behaviors, respectively, and workaholism was positively associated with work–family enrichment. Overall, work–family enrichment did not act as a mediator variable between workaholism and uncivil behaviors.Research limitations/implicationsFuture researchers should consider public or private organizations and assess the different instigators of incivility considering the mediator or moderating role of gender.Practical implicationsManagers should focus on reducing workaholism and developing life–work enrichment in order to decrease uncivil behaviors.Social implicationsGiven the hard economic and complex political conditions in Iran and increasing likelihood of uncivil behaviors, the results of the present study offer ways to minimize workplace incivility in employees.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the research on uncivil behavior by improving the understanding of organizational and personal factors (workaholism and work–life enrichment) that can influence workplace incivility among employees working in public organizations. It also addresses the usefulness of examining work–life enrichment disposition in understanding the relationship between workaholism and workplace incivility.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to peruse a strike enacted by the police force (PF) from a southeast state of Brazil and its consequences to the population through the lens of workplace incivility (WI) theory. Design/methodology/approach This study draws on a qualitative research design and social constructivism paradigm. In addition, it uses the template analysis, a peculiar form of thematic analysis, which is grounded on the hierarchical coding. Accordingly, it allows the researcher to yield a broad structure (obviously through the task of analyzing textual data, i.e. published texts) as well as providing enough flexibility to comply with the needs of a study. Findings Overall, there was a slightly shift between the initial template and the second one. Rather, the initial thematic assumptions were largely confirmed, namely, antecedents, strike strategy, reactions and consequences; yet, findings also showed other theme, i.e. mitigating decisions. The template analysis used here turned to be a consistent path given that it allowed finding a range of categories related to the themes, which substantiated the results. On the other hand, this investigation shows that even society, as a whole, may be seriously affected by WI. Research limitations/implications This investigation has some limitations regarding that it is a qualitative endeavor. Therefore, the outcomes cannot be generalized, and it constitutes the chief limitation of this study. Practical implications In terms of practical implications, findings suggest that public managers, mayors and governors must pay strong attention to the task of motivating their workforce. Robust human resource policies and fair salary may avoid job dissatisfaction. Social implications Data also indicated that incivility may be related to complex dynamics whose negative impacts may go beyond the workplaces. Originality/value This study expands the theory of WI by paying attention to a generally neglected group (police officers). In addition, it focuses on an emergent economy, which is at odds with robust problems of finance and public management nature. In doing so, it provides evidence of other consequences of WI. Broadly speaking, citizens and businesses are consumers of public services, including safety. Finally, it suggests that WI may be associated with two instigators simultaneously. In this case, it was intertwined with governor’s weak human resources policies and the civil servants’ irresponsibility.

PurposeContemporary organizations report a sharp increase in the incidences of workplace incivility. The purpose of this paper is to capture the impact of workplace incivility on the victimized employee's knowledge-hiding behaviours. The paper proposes that the victim will hide knowledge by playing dumb, evasive hiding and rationalized hiding behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe paper first focusses on a review of literature on workplace incivility and summarizes the findings through a conceptual review model. Subsequently, the paper puts forth a conceptual model depicting the relationship of incivility with knowledge hiding.FindingsDrawing from the affective events theory, the paper demonstrates that incivility will arouse negative emotions in the victim, enticing the individual to respond by engaging in knowledge hiding. It establishes knowledge hiding to be more than just a consequence of reciprocal exchange relationships. The authors also propose this positive relationship to vary with gender.Originality/valueThe paper draws attention towards the counterproductive knowledge behaviours that can be stirred as a result of negative emotional experiences. It explores the employee’s response to an active form of workplace mistreatment, workplace incivility. It advocates the need to check uncivil and disrespectful behaviours in the organization so as to build a healthy work environment.

PurposeWorkplace incivility is a common deviant behavior happening in organizational contexts, and it can have serious negative consequences such as decreasing employees’ organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and increasing their turnover intentions. This study aims to test the argument that emotional exhaustion and acceptability of workplace incivility can act as mediators in this relationship between incivility and OCB and turnover intentions. Moreover, the assumption that employees’ political skill can act as a buffer on job strain caused by incivility displayed by both coworkers and supervisors was tested.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 703 South Korean employees recruited online completed a self-assessment on their political skill first and then they were randomly assigned to one of the two conditions: either recalled a co-worker or a supervisor who had previously displayed uncivil behaviors toward them.FindingsThe stronger the employees’ experience of incivility, the lower their OCB-O and the higher their turnover intentions. These relationships were mediated by acceptability of incivility and emotional exhaustions. Interestingly, results also supported the moderating role of political skill on the relationship between incivility and turnover intentions mediated by acceptability, with higher politically skilled employees being more likely to accept incivility when compared to lower politically skilled employees.Originality/valueUsing a between-subjects design, the findings expand the current knowledge regarding the negative impacts of workplace incivility. Specifically, they showed that acceptability is an important mechanism to understand the impact of workplace incivility on OCB and turnover intention.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the consequences of experienced workplace incivility when female employees perceive that they are different from their workgroup. The authors examine how women’s perceptions of demographic dissimilarity from their workgroup moderate the relationships between incivility and psychological wellbeing, and between incivility and turnover intentions. Design/methodology/approach A total of 125 female employees of a post-secondary institution participated in this study. Participants were recruited through an electronic mailing list over the course of one month and completed an online survey. Findings Experienced workplace incivility among females is related to poorer psychological wellbeing and higher turnover intentions. Controlling for actual age and gender dissimilarity at the department level, perceived gender dissimilarity from one’s workgroup moderated the workplace incivility-turnover intentions relationship, whereby the relationship was strengthened at low, but not high levels of experienced incivility. Perceived gender dissimilarity did not moderate the incivility–psychological wellbeing relationship. Perceived age dissimilarity was not a significant moderator. Research limitations/implications The role of perceived dissimilarity and other personal contextual variables should be considered in future work on selective incivility. Perceived dissimilarity can influence some of the negative outcomes associated with incivility, particularly at low levels. Originality/value This research extends the selective incivility literature by incorporating a relational demography perspective to the study of female targets’ experience of workplace incivility. Findings suggest that perceptions of difference may affect the interpretation and outcomes associated with females’ experience of incivility.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study if trust on team members and leaders leads to an experience of civil behavior in the workplace or reduced incivility at the workplace. The study was conducted on women employees and therefore termed as selective incivility. Design/methodology/approach In the study, the relationship between team trust and leader trust was the antecedent variables and general well-being was the consequent variable. Civil behavior in the workplace was the mediating variable. The research was conducted on 228 working women in different sectors of the Indian organization. Trust (in leaders and on teams) and general well-being were measured by established scales. Selective incivility scale was developed based on the qualitative inputs from working women. Data were analysed on SPSS and AMOS version 20. Findings The study showed that trust (between leader and subordinates and among team members) led to an experience of civil behavior at workplace, and experience of civil behavior led to an experience of general well-being. Research limitations/implications This research has contributed to both theoretical and managerial aspects. On the theoretical front, this research has emphasized the role of trust in building a civil environment in the workplace. On the managerial front, it has contributed to showing how low incivility encourages inclusivity and maintains the general well-being of employees, and therefore advocates the practice of civil behavior. Practical implications The study is relevant in managing politics at workplace. With an environment of trust, the insecurity and doubt in the minds of employees are reduced. This leads to higher well-being of employees. In the modern times, workplaces are becoming more diverse. There are not only gender differences but also differences in age, sexual orientation and persons with disabilities. Presence of low incivility can go a long way in encouraging an inclusive workplace. It is thus relevant in managing workplace diversity and for creating a more inclusive environment. Social implications Diverse workplace constituting women and minority race have experienced more workplace incivility (Cameron and Webster, 2011). Also, presence of higher percentage of men in the workforce composition enhanced incivility toward women (Trudel and Reio, 2011). As the paper indicates that low incivility leads to general well-being, it also tries to point out that overall health of organization also improves. It should not be ignored that it is not only the employee who is exposed to incivility who gets affected but also the other employees who are witness to such situation. Originality/value This study investigates the mediating effect of civil behavior at the workplace between trust, both team member and leader, and general well-being.

PurposeResearch has explored the behavioural responses of reluctant stayers to various organisational perceptions. This study extends current research to explain how employees who perceive procedural injustice respond, when they intend to leave but are unable to, due to limited job alternatives. This study postulates that employees who perceive procedural injustice are more likely to develop turnover intentions. Procedural injustice is expected to indirectly influence workplace incivility, with turnover intentions as the mediator. Further, the availability of job alternatives is expected to moderate the relationship between turnover intentions and workplace incivility, to form a moderated-mediation model.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from 204 retail employees across five major shopping malls within the Caribbean nation of Trinidad, using a two-wave research design. A path-analytic approach was used to test the research hypotheses.FindingsThe findings provided support for the propositions that procedural injustice predicts turnover intentions, that turnover intentions mediate the procedural injustice – workplace incivility relationship, and that the availability of job alternatives moderate the relationship between turnover intentions and workplace incivility.Originality/valueThis study addresses a clear research gap since no study has examined how employees' perceptions of procedural injustice affect their behaviour when they intend to leave but are unable to, due to limited job alternatives. This study extends research on the behaviour of reluctant stayers.

Purpose Workplace incivility has detrimental effects on targets of such behaviors and can lead to further conflict. This research aims to examine whether cultural differences in people’s approach to social respect and status may influence their responses to incivility displayed by superiors and subordinates. Design/methodology/approach Three studies (n = 1043) examined how people from honor cultures (southern states of the USA; Latin America) and dignity cultures (northern states of the USA) would perceive and respond to uncivil superiors relative to uncivil subordinates. Studies 1 and 2 used scenarios; in Study 3, employed participants recalled their own incivility experiences. Findings Participants from honor cultures were more likely to perceive the mistreatment negatively if it came from a superior than a subordinate (all studies) and more likely to indicate that they would retaliate against an uncivil superior than an uncivil subordinate (Studies 1 and 3). Moreover, for participants from honor cultures (but not from dignity cultures), anger mediated the relation between the appraisal of incivility and retaliation only when the offender was a superior (all studies). Research limitations/implications This research relied on scenarios and people’s recollections, focusing on a limited range of responses to incivility. Future research should conduct laboratory experiments and examine additional responses. Nevertheless, these findings suggest that being mistreated by a superior or a subordinate has different meanings and consequences for people from diverse cultures, which can have implications for cross-cultural work interactions. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this research is the first to compare people’s emotional and behavioral responses to uncivil superiors with their responses to uncivil subordinates in honor cultures.

Purpose Drawing upon theories of modern discrimination, the present study focuses on cyber incivility and interpersonal incivility as mechanisms through which race leads to perceived discrimination. Participants included 408 full-time working adults who responded to an online survey. The results indicate that Non-White employees experience subtle forms of discrimination through the use of e-mail, which accentuate the need for organizations to eradicate workplace mistreatment so that their employees can avoid the adverse outcomes associated with experiencing cyber incivility. The purpose of this paper is to extend the understanding of selective incivility and concludes with directions for future research and practical implications. Design/methodology/approach Participants included 408 full-time working adults who responded to the survey online. Findings The results indicate that race was indirectly associated with discrimination through cyber incivility. The results indicate that Non-White employees experience subtle forms of discrimination through the use of technology and cyber space which accentuate the need for organizations to eradicate workplace incivility so that their employees can evade the adverse outcomes associated with experiencing incivility at work. Research limitations/implications This study extends the understanding of selective incivility and concludes with directions for future research and practical implications. Originality/value This paper is the first to explore the relationship between race, cyber incivility and discrimination.

Purpose Drawing on selective incivility theory (Cortina, 2008) and the literature on gender and leadership (e.g. Vial et al., 2016), the purpose of this paper is to investigate well-being outcomes of often neglected targets of incivility – those who manage or lead the work of others. The authors examined links between managers’ experiences of incivility from those to whom they report and five well-being outcomes, controlling for co-worker and subordinate incivility. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a cross-sectional correlational design to test the hypotheses, with a sample of 50 employees (28 females, 22 males) who supervise, manage or lead the work of others. Findings Male and female managers reported similar levels of incivility from subordinates and higher-ups; males reported greater incivility from co-workers. Significant interactions were also found: the relationship between incivility from those higher up and positive affect (high and low intensity) and perceived impact were significantly stronger for female (vs male) managers. Research limitations/implications Women did not experience greater workplace incivility than men, albeit the two-week timeframe of measurement may be too short to capture differences. The authors did, however, find evidence that well-being implications of experienced incivility from those higher up are generally stronger for female leaders. Originality/value The study investigates multi-source incivility directed at those in leadership/managerial positions and contributes to a growing literature seeking to understand the experiences of women in these roles. Although women in management roles may experience similar levels of incivility as men, they may interpret the behavior in a more negative light, in line with the persistence of sexism in the workplace.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how witnessing workplace incivility from coworkers and supervisors relates to instigating incivility toward others. A further aim was to investigate if witnessed incivility is indirectly related to instigated incivility via perceived stress and low job satisfaction. An additional aim was to study if control, social support and job embeddedness moderate the relationships between witnessed and instigated incivility. Design/methodology/approach A total of 978 individuals, sourced from a Swedish trade union, completed an online questionnaire. Findings The results showed that witnessed incivility, mainly from coworkers but also from supervisors, was related to instigated incivility. Although witnessed incivility was related to both perceived stress and low job satisfaction, witnessed incivility was not linked to instigated incivility via perceived stress or low job satisfaction. In addition, the results showed that participants who had witnessed coworker incivility and at the same time perceived high levels of control, social support (from coworkers) or job embeddedness on average reported higher levels of instigated incivility. Similarly, participants who had witnessed supervisor incivility and at the same time perceived high levels of control, social support (from coworkers and supervisors) or job embeddedness on average reported higher levels of instigated incivility. Originality/value The findings expand the literature on bystander workplace incivility and highlight the importance of including experienced psychosocial work factors in models of incivility.

Purpose This study examines the relationships among workplace incivility, job satisfaction and turnover intention for tourist hotel chefs. Furthermore, emotional intelligence is taken as the moderating variable on the relationships between workplace incivility and job satisfaction and workplace incivility and turnover intention. Design/methodology/approach Tourist hotel chefs were invited to participate in this study using purposive sampling, and a structured questionnaire was administered to carry out the investigation on tourist hotel chefs. Findings The results show that workplace incivility has negative effects on job satisfaction and casts positive effects on turnover intention through job satisfaction. Emotional intelligence has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between workplace incivility and job satisfaction. Originality/value This study firstly demonstrated the relationships among workplace incivility, job satisfaction and turnover intention for tourist hotel chefs. Furthermore, the moderating effect of emotional intelligence on the relationship between workplace incivility and job satisfaction was also validated.

Although multiple factors have been found to induce burnout in volunteers, studies examining relationships among volunteer coworkers as a potential stressor are sorely lacking. Through the lens of ...

The goal of this special issue is to answer the question “What does workplace incivility look like in the current organization?” The focus of the special issue is on exploring workplace incivility ...

This essay reflects on the need for more research to address observers’ perspectives and reactions when witnessing or hearing about workplace mistreatment. After describing workplace mistre...

This qualitative study investigated relational schemas of workplace incivility to develop an understanding of incivility from the employee perspective, refine theoretical comprehension of the inciv...

Purpose Across the globe, every organization is striving to enhance the productivity and growth rate, but the prosperity and success of an organization is determined by the type of work environment in which it operates. To address this apprehension, this paper aims to determine the effect of toxic workplace environment on job stress that can badly affect the job productivity of an employee. Design/methodology/approach As an independent variable, toxic workplace environment was used as a complete spectrum consisting multiple dimensions named as workplace ostracism, workplace incivility, workplace harassment and workplace bullying. Job stress was used as a mediating variable between the spectrum of toxic workplace environment and job productivity. In this regard, self-administered close-ended questionnaire was used to collect the data from 267 employees of the health sector (HS) of Lahore region in Pakistan. For analysis purpose, we used confirmatory factor analysis to ensure the convergent and discriminant validity of the factors. AMOS 22 was used to check the direct and indirect effect of selected variables. Hayes mediation approach was used to check the mediating role of job stress between four dimensions of toxic workplace environment and job productivity. Findings The output demonstrated that the dimensions of toxic workplace environment have a negative significant relationship with job productivity, while job stress was proved as a statistical significant mediator between dimensions of toxic workplace environment and job productivity. Finally, we conclude that organizations need to combat/cleanse the roots of toxic workplace environment to ensure their prosperity and success. Originality/value This study aims to determine the effect of toxic workplace environment on job stress that can badly affect the job productivity of an employee. An empirical study in the context of the HS of Pakistan. This study, which is based on HS, has never been reported before in literature.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between workplace incivility and knowledge hiding, and role of personality disposition (neuroticism) in moderating such relationships. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 108 employees nested in 18 teams from private sectors via survey questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical regression models were used to test the hypotheses. Findings The findings show that the higher the level of workplace incivility experienced by the team members, the higher the tendency for them to hide knowledge and this relationship is moderated by neuroticism. Specifically, the relationship was found to be stronger for those employees high in neuroticism compared to those low in neuroticism. Practical implications The study offers important implication in term of knowledge hiding prevention or reduction. The behavior can be reduced by creating awareness among employees on the importance of civility at work via campaign, realistic job preview and leading by example. To manage the effect of neuroticism, managers need to identify those high in the trait and provide them with training on how to better regulate and manage negative emotions in the workplace. Originality/value The study contributes to the research on knowledge hiding behavior by advancing the understanding of organizational and personal factors that can influence knowledge hiding among employees working in team. It is the first to propose and empirically validate the predictive effect of workplace incivility on knowledge hiding. It also addresses the usefulness of examining personality disposition in understanding the relationship between workplace incivility and knowledge hiding behavior.

Purpose Drawing on COR theory, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to the scarce literature of work-family interference, workplace incivility, gender and psychological distress at the practical and academic juncture. Design/methodology/approach The linear (structural equation modeling (SEM)) and non-linear (artificial neural network (ANN)) techniques were applied to the survey data from a sample of Nigerian health workers (n=447) to investigate the relationships between the aforementioned variables. Findings The results from SEM and ANN revealed that work-family conflict (WFC), family-work conflict, supervisor incivility and coworker incivility have positive impacts on psychological distress. A multi-group moderation analysis suggests that women were more likely to experience psychological distress. Originality/value The work-family interference and incivility are pervasive and gendered problems in the workplace. This paper strives to enhance the understanding of the nature of the relationship in an African work setting. The implications for making the workplace better and safer are discussed.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of burnout as a mediator in the relationship between workplace incivility (WI) and instigated WI. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 303 white collar employees from small- to medium-size industries in Australia was conducted. Self-reported measures were used to obtain data on WI, burnout, and instigated WI. Mediation analyses with bootstrap via PROCESS was used ascertain the proposed relationship. Findings Results indicated that WI was positively linked to instigated WI. Importantly, results indicated that burnout fully mediated the relationship between WI and instigated WI. Research limitations/implications The correlational and self-report nature of the study exclude inference about causality between variables and may be more prone to bias. However, despite these limitations, pre- and post-cautionary steps were taken to ensure that these biases were kept at bay as much as is possible. Practical implications The study highlights that burnout may be an important underlying mechanism responsible for target’s and perpetrator’s uncivil relationships toward each other. Management should be cognizant of possible burnout among employees who experienced WI and to take appropriate training as preventive measures for WI. Originality/value This study responded to the call for more empirical investigation of WI. This study also integrated conservation of resources and the spiral of incivility theories to develop a theoretical model which linked WI to instigated WI.

PurposePrevious in-depth focus groups found that postal workers employed by a crown corporation in Canada identified a lack of respect in the workplace. A lack of respect or discourteous behavior might be better understood as a phenomenon of workplace incivility. The purpose of this paper is to report a larger cross-sectional survey to determine: the magnitude of workplace incivility among Canadian postal workers; any association between incivility and indicators of worker well-being; and, the potential buffering benefits of social support from co-workers.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaire packages were mailed to nearly 2,000 employees of Canada Post Corporation, asking for anonymous responses to questions about their job, demographics, satisfaction and commitment, treatment in the workplace, and well-being.FindingsMore than 82 percent of 950 respondents reported at least some workplace incivility. After controlling for demographic and work factors, incivility explained significant variation in worker burnout, anxiety, depression, and hostility (i.e. adjustedR2values ranged from 5 to 46). In addition, the association between incivility and worker anxiety, depression, and hostility was reduced when workers reported greater social support from co-workers.Research limitations/implicationsIncivility is more than just a minor or infrequent source of psychological distress for people working in service. However, a positive outcome is that co-worker support helps reduce the adverse effects of rude and discourteous behavior.Originality/valueTo our knowledge, this was the first large-scale survey exploring workplace incivility in the public postal service. The data from a large sample of postal workers across Canada suggest that the treatment of employees is an ongoing problem at this organization. This research is relevant for understanding workplace interactions and health in the service sector in Canada, though the authors expect it is germane also to other occupations worldwide.

Purpose On the basis of person–job fit theory and conservation of resource theory, this study aims to develop and test a model to examine the impact of polychronicity on frontline employees’ job performance in hotel industry and simultaneously, investigate the moderating effects of supervisor, coworker and customer incivility as stressors in the relationship between polychronicity and employees’ job performance. Design/methodology/approach Data are obtained in North Cyprus from 262 frontline employees working in four- and five-star hotels. Findings The results suggest that polychronicity refers to employees’ performance. Customer incivility negatively and significantly influences job performance, but coworker and supervisor incivilities do not. Unlike coworker incivility, both customer and supervisor incivilities moderate the relationship between polychronicity and job performance; that is, high customer and/or supervisor incivility weaken the positive relationship between polychronicity and job performance. Practical implications Regarding the critical role of polychronic frontline employees, hotel management should recruit the right candidates and endeavor to retain such employees by offering monetary and non-monetary incentives, training and empowering. They may implement a zero-tolerance policy that simultaneously supports both parties (customers and employees). Originality/value The association between employee quality (i.e. polychronicity), job performance and incivility is often overlooked in the hospitality research. This study is the first attempt to consider the joint moderating effect of important social stressors (customer, coworker and supervisor incivility) in the hotel industry.

Purpose Workplace mistreatment and aggression have become pressing issues in today’s multi-generational workplace. Yet, to date, the issue of investigating the impacts of passive and active types of mistreatment simultaneously on different generations has been widely neglected in the management literature. The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore the resultant effects of active (i.e. workplace tolerance to incivility) and passive (i.e. workplace ostracism) mistreatments on negative emotion and intention to sabotage, a generational perspective. Design/methodology/approach Data were garnered from bank employees in Nigeria (n=320) and analyzed with the aid of a structural equation modeling technique. Findings The data reveal that active and passive workplace mistreatments are relevant factors inflicting negative emotions and intention to sabotage, and negative emotions inflict the intention to sabotage. Furthermore, the impact of passive workplace mistreatment on negative emotion is higher among Generations X and Y cohorts, and its impact on the intention to sabotage is higher among Baby Boomers cohorts. The impact of active workplace mistreatment on negative emotion is higher among Generation Y and Baby Boomers cohorts, and its impact on the intention to sabotage is higher among Generations X and Y cohorts. Originality/value This paper advances our knowledge concerning the reactional response of employees to workplace mistreatment generation wise. Based on the study findings, theoretical and practical implications are identified and discussed.

Purpose This study aims to acquire a better understanding about consequences of workplace incivility upon restaurant frontline service employees caused by customers, supervisors and coworkers. The moderating roles of perceived organizational support (POS) and emotion regulation ability (ERA) were also tested to determine the possibility for reducing the negative effect of workplace incivility upon the emotional exhaustion of restaurant frontline service employees. Design/methodology/approach Using data obtained from 239 restaurant frontline service employees, a 35-item instrument was used to assess workplace incivility and its effects upon emotional exhaustion, perceived service performance, POS and ERA. A structural equation model was used to test hypotheses. The multi-group approach was used to investigate the moderating effects POS and ERA have upon the relationships between workplace incivility, emotional exhaustion and perceived service performance. Findings Results documented that workplace incivility significantly increases emotional exhaustion and further leads to low levels of job service performance. Customer incivility was especially found to have the strongest power for increasing emotional exhaustion, followed by supervisor incivility. Also, results confirmed that POS and ERA play significant roles in moderating the relationships between workplace incivility, emotional exhaustion and perceived service performance. Based upon this study’s findings, theoretical and practical implications are offered for developing successful employee management strategies. Practical implications Results suggest specific practical management implications pertaining to restaurant frontline service employees. This study’s research findings recommend the development of more efficient support programs designed to diffuse potential situations involving workplace incivility. Findings further highlight the important role employee ERA has upon the effects of incivility and frontline service performance. Implications are provided with respect to specific strategic direction management should consider to recruit and select the most appropriate employees for restaurant frontline service positions. Originality/value The current study’s conceptual research was developed in an attempt to simultaneously address all three dimensions of workplace incivility to examine how they affect employee emotions and their job performance.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the relationships among workplace incivility, job burnout, turnover intentions, and job performance. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a dyad survey method to collect data. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data. Findings Results showed that job burnout mediated the relationship between workplace incivility and turnover intention and that workplace incivility was negatively associated with job performance. In other words, participants experiencing higher levels of incivility reported greater levels of job burnout and subsequent increased turnover intention and lower levels of job performance. Originality/value The authors can find no other research that examines the relationship between workplace incivility and job performance.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of workplace incivility on job satisfaction and employees’ turnover intentions in Indian work settings. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected randomly from 283 employees at various restaurants in the Northern and Western parts of India via the survey method and, thereafter, hierarchical regression analysis was performed to analyze the data. Findings – The study established that moderate to high levels of workplace-incivility-related issues are present in India’s restaurant industry. Regression analysis further revealed that workplace incivility is negatively related to job satisfaction and positively related to employee turnover in the Indian context as well. Practical implications – Relevant recommendations are presented to restaurant owners as well as HR practitioners that could curb unethical practices in Indian restaurants and promote civil behavior in the workplace. Originality/value – Relevant extant studies have recognized that there is a need to study workplace incivility in different cultures to establish the global relevance of the subject. This research studied the impact of workplace incivility on job satisfaction and turnover intentions with respect to Indian employees.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships among incivility, stress, workaholism, and psychological capital (PsyCap). Design/methodology/approach – Data on incivility, stress, workaholism, and PsyCap were collected, through administration of an online survey, from 168 employees. Findings – Workaholism and stress were positively related to uncivil behaviors, while PsyCap was negatively linked to incivility. Additionally, workaholism was positively associated with stress and negatively related to PsyCap. Finally, PsyCap acted as a mediator between workaholism and uncivil behaviors. Research limitations/implications – Future researchers should obtain a larger number of minority participants, assess the instigators of incivility, and implement a longitudinal model. Practical implications – Managers should focus on reducing stress and uncivil behaviors, and implement interventions to reduce workaholism and stress and increase PsyCap. Originality/value – It is the first study to examine measurable traits that are likely to lead to negative behaviors, and includes an emotional tool, PsyCap, that can be developed to limit the negative influence of incivility on the organization.

Purpose This study aims to examine how workplace incivility (i.e. coworker and customer incivility) affects service employees’ creativity, specifically the way emotional exhaustion at work decreases their intrinsic motivation, and, in turn, damages service employees’ creativity. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to show the mechanism by which both coworker and customer incivility at work affects service employee creativity. Design/methodology/approach Service employees from a hotel in South Korea were surveyed using a self-administered instrument for data collection. Out of 450 questionnaires, a total of 281 usable questionnaires were obtained after list-wise deletion, for a 62.4 per cent response rate. Structural equation modeling analysis provided support for the hypotheses. Findings The results indicate a serial multiple mediator model in which both coworker and customer incivility increase service employees’ emotional exhaustion, which, in turn, reduces their intrinsic motivation at work and ultimately decreases their creativity. That is, the findings of this study reveal a negative relationship between workplace incivility (i.e. coworker and customer incivility) and service employees’ creativity that is fully and sequentially mediated by the service employees’ emotional exhaustion and intrinsic motivation. Research limitations/implications The use of cross-sectional self-reports potentially raises concerns about common method bias. Caution is recommended in reaching conclusions concerning the causal relationships between the variables, as the current study did not capture causality variation. For instance, it may be that emotional exhaustion from incivility gradually compounds over time, leading to a greater negative impact on service employees. In contrast, employees may develop strategies to cope with uncivil behavior over time, which attenuates the negative effects on service employees as time passes. A longitudinal design might offer an alternative to overcome this limitation in future research. Practical implications Considering the findings about the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion between workplace incivility and employee outcomes (i.e. intrinsic motivation and creativity), firms should consider establishing systematic institutional practices and policies to prevent employees from feeling emotionally exhausted from workplace incivility. Executive and senior management teams would benefit by instituting strict policies and regulations which nurture desirable behaviors among organizational members that protect victims of workplace incivility. Originality/value This study is the first to examine the relationship between workplace incivility and creativity. Moreover, the present study attempts to develop an understanding of the underlying mechanism through which both coworker and customer incivility negatively affect service employees’ creativity.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine whether emotion- and problem-focussed employee coping styles affect the relationship between workplace incivility and job attitudes (job satisfaction, sense of community), and whether these effects vary by gender.Design/methodology/approach– Survey methodology was used to obtain self-report data from a sample of 314 working adults (90 percent Hispanic, 62 percent female) enrolled in courses at a public university.Findings– Targets of workplace incivility experienced lower job satisfaction and sense of community at work. Employees who typically used problem-focussed coping (PFC) to respond to work stressors experienced greater negative outcomes associated with incivility. Mixed results were found for employees who typically engaged in emotion-focussed coping (EFC) at work: frequent use of avoidant coping and religious coping buffered against the impact of incivility, however, support seeking coping styles strengthened the negative outcomes associated with incivility. These effects varied by gender.Practical implications– The results highlight the benefits of two EFC styles (religious coping, avoidance coping) in the context of workplace incivility. The findings also indicate limitations of PFC and support seeking coping in the context of incivility. Accordingly, the authors make suggestions for managers to facilitate employees to overcome problems of incivility.Originality/value– Few studies have investigated qualities that enable employees to effectively manage incivility. Further, the role of coping styles in relation to incivility is relatively unexplored. To address these gaps, the authors examined the extent to which PFC and EFC styles impact the relationship between incivility and work attitudes.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine leader-member exchange (LMX) and perceived organizational support (POS) as moderators of the relationship between psychological contract violation and workplace incivility. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was administered to employed adults. Findings – The association between violation and incivility was more pronounced when levels of LMX and POS were higher. Research limitations/implications – The correlation design limits the ability to draw causal inferences. Affect models, including but not limited to affect infusion model (AIM), offer a useful framework for enhancing understanding of incivility and other forms of counterproductive work behaviors. Practical implications – The study has contributed to knowledge about contract violation’s implications for work behaviors, such as incivility. Managers sensitive to the dynamics of contract breach may prevent feelings of violation by communicating clearly and often about expectations, resources, and procedures. Social implications – Organizational and societal leaders may be well served by knowledge about preventing people’s intense responses to perceived violation by appropriately responding to perceived breach. Originality/value – The study draws upon AIM as a novel approach to understanding conditions under which negative emotions are most likely to relate to workplace incivility. Moreover, the roles of social exchange variables LMX and POS have heretofore been unexplored as moderators of the violation-incivility relationship.

Purpose – There is a vast array of literature which investigates the concept and impact of workplace incivility. Evidence suggests that compared to male employees, female employees tend to experience and put up more with workplace incivility. However, there is limited research on how this affects female employee’s willingness to complete work-related tasks. The purpose of this paper is to set out to examine whether gender moderates the role between tolerance for workplace incivility and those behaviours characterised by work withdrawal. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 317 employees from a range of business industries and governmental agencies completed a quantitative survey of measures relating to their work withdrawal behaviour and their perception of their workplaces’ tolerance for uncivil behaviours. Findings – Results revealed that when females perceived high levels of tolerance for workplace incivility, they decreased their work withdrawal behaviour. No relationship between tolerance for workplace incivility and work withdrawal was found for males. Research limitations/implications – The homogeneity of the sample, that is, the sample comprised predominantly of white-collar, White Australian workers. Practical implications – Improve managers and organisations’ knowledge and understanding about deviant workplace behaviours – especially between male and female employees. Originality/value – The paper adds to the work in the workplace incivility, diversity-gender and equity research area. Specifically, it highlights how male and female employees react when they perceive that their workplace tolerates deviant behaviours. This knowledge will inform managers and their organisations of a more effective way of managing conflict.

PurposeThe purpose for writing this paper is to help develop and apply integrated models and methods of best practice that can prevent and manage workplace incivility (WPI) and workplace violence (WPV).Design/methodology/approachThis approach uses the framework of the public health model to integrate neurobiological, behavioural, organisational, mental health, and educational theory into a holistic framework for the primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of WPV. The key concepts built into this model are those of organisational violence (OV), trauma‐informed services, and positive behaviour support (PBS). This approach is further illustrated by case studies from organisations that have successfully implemented safety protocols that demonstrate the effectiveness of such an integrated approach. This method is derived primarily from qualitative data based on the expertise and experience of the authors in the areas of psychiatry, social work research, and instructional implementation as well as reviews of the current literature.FindingsThis model suggests that understanding WPI and violence as reactions to a combination of internal and external stressors is key to interrupting these violent responses. Responding to WPV requires that organisations first take responsibility for their own role in generating WPV and recognize the impact of organisationally generated trauma on staff and services users. In this behavioural model, WPV and WPI have functions which require the teaching of replacement behaviours that help individuals to escape from these stresses in ways that do not cause harm to themselves and/or others. Thus, management must instruct staff how to teach and reinforce appropriate social and communicative behaviours in order to replace those behaviours leading to WPV and WPI.Practical implicationsThe practical implications of this paper are that it provides human service practitioners with: an understanding of the functions of reactive violence at work; a methodology to identify different types WPI and WPV; a framework to proactively teach violence replacement behaviours, empowering people to address the causative factors in ways that do not cause harm to self and/or others; skills that can be taught to management and staff individually or in group settings, as well as to service users; and implementation models from various organisations that have achieved significant reductions in WPV. Another important outcome demonstrated through the case studies is that significant financial savings can be achieved through reduction of WPI and WPV which may in turn lead to a related improvement in the quality of life for staff and service users through changes in workplace practices. This outcome has implications for organisational practice and theory as well as human services education and training.Social implicationsOne key social implication of the model, if integrated into the company's social responsibility policies and practices, is the potential for improving the quality of life for staff and patients in health care settings as well as employees, customers, and service users in other settings.Originality/valueThe originality shown in this paper is the way the three key concepts of OV, trauma‐informed services, and PBS are built into a public health model to prevent and mitigate WPV. This paper is of particular value to boards of management, organisational directors, supervisors, HR and training departments as well as direct care staff, service providers, and regulatory bodies.

Obnoxious behaviour has become endemic in the workplace. Some of the worst offences are: not turning off mobile phones in meetings; leaving a jammed printer, gossiping, and snapping at coworkers. Yet, it is this small stuff that relentlessly grinds down collegial working relationships. Incivility is at the low end of the continuum of workplace abuse. Workplace incivility is not violence or harassment or even open conflict, although it can build up to any of those things. Links between the work environment and indicators of employee loyalty, commitment, and productivity show this is not a “fluff” issue. In addition, a recent study on workplace incivility reveals that rude employees and managers can cost a company millions of dollars a year. This paper will look at a definition of incivility in the workplace, the causes of poor behaviour, the costs to organizations, and what employers can do to help.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the need to treat negative workplace behaviours which are not perceived as bullying as seriously as those which are. The paper also aims to examine whether or not the National Health Service (NHS) appears to experience a higher level of negative behaviour than private sector organisations and whether lower frequency behaviour has similar levels of effect as higher frequency behaviour.Design/methodology/approachA mixed‐method approach is used whereby a mainly quantitative questionnaire is complemented by the inclusion of qualitative questions and the collection of qualitative data collected within the two NHS Trusts concerned.FindingsThe evidence collected draws attention to the considerable impact that workplace incivility, which may or may not be classed as bullying, has on the well‐being of employees and the effectiveness of organisations. Where aggression is present, the levels of effect are shown to be higher and the behaviour is always classed as bullying. The evidence also shows that the NHS does appear to experience a higher level of negative behaviour than private sector organisations, and that lower frequency behaviour does indeed appear to have similar levels of effect as higher frequency behaviour.Originality/valueThis article shows that the focus placed by many researchers and organisations on countering/eliminating behaviour purely perceived as bullying is unlikely to be effective unless they also adopt a similar approach to the full range of negative behaviours that employees experience/witness in organisations.