Supervisor Incivility Research Articles

Supervisor Incivility and Employee Silence: Does Chinese Traditionality Matter?

Supervisor Incivility and Employee Silence: Does Chinese Traditionality Matter?

Supervisor Incivility and Employee revenge: the Role of Hostile Attribution

Supervisor Incivility and Employee revenge: the Role of Hostile Attribution

Uncivil Supervisors and Perceived Work Ability: The Joint Moderating Roles of Job Involvement and Grit

Uncivil behavior by leaders may be viewed as an effective way to motivate employees. However, supervisor incivility, as a form of unethical supervision, may be undercutting employees’ ability to do their jobs. We investigate linkages between workplace incivility and perceived work ability (PWA), a variable that captures employees’ appraisals of their ability to continue working in their jobs. We draw upon the appraisal theory of stress and social identity theory to examine incivility from supervisors as an antecedent to PWA, and to investigate job involvement and grit as joint moderators of this association. Results from data collected in two samples of working adults provided evidence for three-way interactions in relation to PWA. Among employees with high levels of grit, there was no significant relation between supervisor incivility and PWA, regardless of employee job involvement. However, we found some evidence that for those low in grit, having high job involvement was associated with a stronger relationship between supervisor incivility and PWA. Findings attest to the importance of unethical supervisor behavior, showing the potential for supervisor incivility to erode PWA, as well as the importance of grit as a potential buffer.

Does gender moderates the relationship between favoritism/nepotism, supervisor incivility, cynicism and workplace withdrawal: A neural network and SEM approach

Organizational politics and workplace victimization are social stressors with significant implications on the wellbeing of employees. Applying Job Demand Resources framework, this study examines the impact of favoritism/nepotism, supervisor incivility on employee cynicism, and work withdrawal, and the moderating role of gender. Utilizing a cross-sectional design, data were gathered from frontline employees working in 3-star hotels in Northern Cyprus. Results from structural equation modeling and artificial neural network revealed that: (1) favoritism/nepotism has a positive impact on employee cynicism and work withdrawal; (2) employee cynicism has a positive impact on work withdrawal; (3) employee cynicism mediates the relationship between favoritism/nepotism, and work withdrawal; (4) the impact of employee cynicism on work withdrawal was about 6.7 times stronger for women; (5) the impact of favoritism/nepotism on work withdrawal was about 2.1 times stronger for men. Strategies to reduce this unwanted practices and how to keep employees productive are discussed.

Interventions for prevention of bullying in the workplace.

Bullying has been identified as one of the leading workplace stressors, with adverse consequences for the individual employee, groups of employees, and whole organisations. Employees who have been bullied have lower levels of job satisfaction, higher levels of anxiety and depression, and are more likely to leave their place of work. Organisations face increased risk of skill depletion and absenteeism, leading to loss of profit, potential legal fees, and tribunal cases. It is unclear to what extent these risks can be addressed through interventions to prevent bullying. To explore the effectiveness of workplace interventions to prevent bullying in the workplace. We searched: the Cochrane Work Group Trials Register (August 2014); Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; The Cochrane Library 2016, issue 1); PUBMED (1946 to January 2016); EMBASE (1980 to January 2016); PsycINFO (1967 to January 2016); Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL Plus; 1937 to January 2016); International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS; 1951 to January 2016); Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA; 1987 to January 2016); ABI Global (earliest record to January 2016); Business Source Premier (BSP; earliest record to January 2016); OpenGrey (previously known as OpenSIGLE-System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe; 1980 to December 2014); and reference lists of articles. Randomised and cluster-randomised controlled trials of employee-directed interventions, controlled before and after studies, and interrupted time-series studies of interventions of any type, aimed at preventing bullying in the workplace, targeted at an individual employee, a group of employees, or an organisation. Three authors independently screened and selected studies. We extracted data from included studies on victimisation, perpetration, and absenteeism associated with workplace bullying. We contacted study authors to gather additional data. We used the internal validity items from the Downs and Black quality assessment tool to evaluate included studies' risk of bias. Five studies met the inclusion criteria. They had altogether 4116 participants. They were underpinned by theory and measured behaviour change in relation to bullying and related absenteeism. The included studies measured the effectiveness of interventions on the number of cases of self-reported bullying either as perpetrator or victim or both. Some studies referred to bullying using common synonyms such as mobbing and incivility and antonyms such as civility. Organisational/employer level interventionsTwo studies with 2969 participants found that the Civility, Respect, and Engagement in the Workforce (CREW) intervention produced a small increase in civility that translates to a 5% increase from baseline to follow-up, measured at 6 to 12 months (mean difference (MD) 0.17; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.28).One of the two studies reported that the CREW intervention produced a small decrease in supervisor incivility victimisation (MD -0.17; 95% CI -0.33 to -0.01) but not in co-worker incivility victimisation (MD -0.08; 95% CI -0.22 to 0.08) or in self-reported incivility perpetration (MD -0.05 95% CI -0.15 to 0.05). The study did find a decrease in the number of days absent during the previous month (MD -0.63; 95% CI -0.92 to -0.34) at 6-month follow-up. Individual/job interface level interventionsOne controlled before-after study with 49 participants compared expressive writing with a control writing exercise at two weeks follow-up. Participants in the intervention arm scored significantly lower on bullying measured as incivility perpetration (MD -3.52; 95% CI -6.24 to -0.80). There was no difference in bullying measured as incivility victimisation (MD -3.30 95% CI -6.89 to 0.29).One controlled before-after study with 60 employees who had learning disabilities compared a cognitive-behavioural intervention with no intervention. There was no significant difference in bullying victimisation after the intervention (risk ratio (RR) 0.55; 95% CI 0.24 to 1.25), or at the three-month follow-up (RR 0.49; 95% CI 0.21 to 1.15), nor was there a significant difference in bullying perpetration following the intervention (RR 0.64; 95% CI 0.27 to 1.54), or at the three-month follow-up (RR 0.69; 95% CI 0.26 to 1.81). Multilevel InterventionsA five-site cluster-RCT with 1041 participants compared the effectiveness of combinations of policy communication, stress management training, and negative behaviours awareness training. The authors reported that bullying victimisation did not change (13.6% before intervention and 14.3% following intervention). The authors reported insufficient data for us to conduct our own analysis.Due to high risk of bias and imprecision, we graded the evidence for all outcomes as very low quality. There is very low quality evidence that organisational and individual interventions may prevent bullying behaviours in the workplace. We need large well-designed controlled trials of bullying prevention interventions operating on the levels of society/policy, organisation/employer, job/task and individual/job interface. Future studies should employ validated and reliable outcome measures of bullying and a minimum of 6 months follow-up.

Workplace incivility and its effect upon restaurant frontline service employee emotions and service performance

PurposeThis 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/approachUsing 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.FindingsResults 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 implicationsResults 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/valueThe 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.

Workplace Incivility in a Swedish Context

The present study investigated workplace incivility in a Swedish context. The first aim was to assess how common the phenomenon is and the second was to study which groups (gender, age, ethnicity, and power position) are most targeted by workplace incivility and are more prone to act in an uncivil way. Additionally, the relationships between experienced and witnessed incivility and wellbeing as well as instigated incivility were investigated. An online survey was administered by SIFO (the national public opinion poll agency). The collected data consist of a stratified sample whose composition is identical to the working population in Sweden (N = 3001). The results show that almost three quarters of the respondents had been the target of coworker incivility and 52% of supervisor incivility at least one to two times in the past year. Of the respondents, 75% had witnessed coworkers and 58% witnessed a supervisor treating others in an uncivil way. Furthermore, 66% had instigated uncivil acts toward others. The results also show that female and younger employees are slightly more targeted by incivility from coworkers and younger employees and supervisors are slightly more prone to instigate incivility. Moreover, it was found that that experienced incivility was the strongest predictor of low well-being and that witnessed incivility was the strongest predictor of instigated incivility.

Workplace Incivility in a Swedish Context

The present study investigated workplace incivility in a Swedish context. The first aim was to assess how common the phenomenon is and the second was to study which groups (gender, age, ethnicity, and power position) are most targeted by workplace incivility and are more prone to act in an uncivil way. Additionally, the relationships between experienced and witnessed incivility and wellbeing as well as instigated incivility were investigated. An online survey was administered by SIFO (the national public opinion poll agency). The collected data consist of a stratified sample whose composition is identical to the working population in Sweden (N = 3001). The results show that almost three quarters of the respondents had been the target of coworker incivility and 52% of supervisor incivility at least one to two times in the past year. Of the respondents, 75% had witnessed coworkers and 58% witnessed a supervisor treating others in an uncivil way. Furthermore, 66% had instigated uncivil acts toward others. The results also show that female and younger employees are slightly more targeted by incivility from coworkers and younger employees and supervisors are slightly more prone to instigate incivility. Moreover, it was found that that experienced incivility was the strongest predictor of low well-being and that witnessed incivility was the strongest predictor of instigated incivility.

The validation of a workplace incivility scale within the South African banking industry

Orientation: Workplace incivility holds consequences for both individuals and organisations. Managers are becoming increasingly aware of this phenomenon. Currently, there is no workplace incivility scale validated for use within the South African context. Research purpose: To investigate the reliability and validity of the adapted workplace incivility scale by Leiter and colleagues for use within South Africa. Motivation for the study: As it is currently difficult to measure workplace incivility within the South African context because of the lack of a valid and reliable scale, it is necessary to validate such a scale.Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional research approach was used for the study. Convenience sampling (N = 345) was used within the South African banking industry. Specifically, the factor structure, convergent validity, discriminant validity and predictive validity were investigated in order to establish the overall validity of the scale. Main findings: The results confirmed that the scale showed a three-factor structure as bestfitting with acceptable reliability coefficients. Furthermore, discriminant validity could be shown between workplace incivility and workplace bullying, that is, supporting that these two constructs are not the same phenomenon. In terms of relationships, colleague incivility did not significantly predict any of the outcome variables and instigated incivility only being a negative predictor of job satisfaction and a borderline statistically significant negative predictor of work engagement. However, supervisor incivility predicted all the outcomes negatively. Practical/Managerial implications: Based on the results, workplace incivility should be addressed because of the harmful effects it can have, not only on employees but also on organisations. It is therefore necessary for managers to create awareness of workplace incivility in order to ensure that it does not integrate within the organisational culture and affect individual and organisational performance. Contribution/Value-add: The study contributes to the limited research available in South Africa regarding workplace incivility by providing a scale that is valid and reliable.

Episodes of incivility between subordinates and supervisors: examining the role of self-control and time with an interaction-record diary study

Scholars have hypothesized that experiencing incivility not only negatively affects well-being, but may even trigger further antisocial behavior. Previous research, however, has focused mainly on the relation between incivility and well-being. Thus, little is known about the behavioral consequences of incivility. With this in mind, we conducted an interaction-record diary study to examine whether supervisor incivility causes retaliatory incivility against the supervisor. Using the self-control strength model as a framework, we further examined whether the target's trait (trait self-control) and state (exhaustion) self-regulatory capacities moderate this effect. In addition, we examined the role of time by testing the duration of the effect. When we analyzed the full data set, we found no support for our hypotheses. However, using a subset of the data in which the subsequent interaction happened on the same day as the prior interaction, our results showed that experiencing incivility predicted incivility in the subsequent interaction, but only when the time lag between the two interactions was short. Furthermore, in line with the assumption that self-regulatory capacities are required to restrain a target from retaliatory responses, the effect was stronger when individuals were exhausted. In contrast to our assumption, trait self-control had no effect on instigated incivility. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Models of Workplace Incivility: The Relationships to Instigated Incivility and Negative Outcomes

The aim of the study was to investigate workplace incivility as a social process, examining its components and relationships to both instigated incivility and negative outcomes in the form of well-being, job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and sleeping problems. The different components of incivility that were examined were experienced and witnessed incivility from coworkers as well as supervisors. In addition, the organizational factors, social support, control, and job demands, were included in the models. A total of 2871 (2058 women and 813 men) employees who were connected to the Swedish Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union completed an online questionnaire. Overall, the results from structural equation modelling indicate that whereas instigated incivility to a large extent was explained by witnessing coworker incivility, negative outcomes were to a high degree explained by experienced supervisor incivility via mediation through perceived low social support, low control, and high job demands. Unexpectedly, the relationships between incivility (experienced coworker and supervisor incivility, as well as witnessed supervisor incivility) and instigated incivility were moderated by perceived high control and high social support. The results highlight the importance of including different components of workplace incivility and organizational factors in future studies of the area.

Toward a Better Understanding of Workplace Mistreatment

There is little debate that workplace mistreatment is prevalent across occupations and poses a variety of negative effects to employees and organizations. Debate does arise however with regard to how mistreatment is defined and measured, as well as which variables influence its perpetration and relationships with target outcomes. This symposium considers these issues through four studies that address (1) individual characteristics of perpetrators, (2) moderators that protect targets from the effects of mistreatment, (3), the role of culture in shaping perceptions of and reactions to mistreatment and (4) the psychometric properties of mistreatment scales. Sandy Hershcovis, a major contributor and leader in the study of workplace mistreatment, will then evaluate these papers and discuss their contributions to the literature. Supervisor Incivility and Work Ability: The Roles of Job Involvement and Grit Presenter: Benjamin Walsh; U. of Illinois Springfield Presenter: Dana Kabat-Farr; U. of Nevada Reno Presenter: Alyssa K. McGonagle; Wayne State U.

Workplace Incivility and Its Effects on Value Congruence, Recovery-Stress-State and the Intention to Quit

Negative social interactions, such as workplace incivility, show a strong connection to work-related negative outcomes, such as exhaustion or intention to quit. Despite being aware of the important role of incivility in employees’ working life, there is still a lack of research on moderators and mediators in the relationship of incivility and work-related outcomes. In the present study, the moderating roles of stress, recovery and value incongruence on the relationship of incivility with intention to quit are analyzed. We approach this research question using following the theoretical concepts of the Risk Management Model and the dysempowerment theory. The study was prepared as online study. With the data of 371 participants the research question was investigated with a structural equation model (SEM). The overall fit of the modified structural model was satisfying. Supervisor incivility has significant negative effects on the experience of value congruence as well as stress and recovery at the workplace. This in turn leads to a higher intention to leave the organization. Coworker incivility showed a strong relation to supervisor incivility but showed only a significant effect on work-related recovery. The current research represents an important step in developing an understanding of the effects of workplace incivility on the employee’s value congruence, experience of stress, recovery and the intention to quit.

Correlates of New Graduate Nurses' Experiences of Workplace Mistreatment.

This study explores correlates of new graduate nurses’ experiences of workplace mistreatment. New graduate nurses’ experiences of workplace mistreatment, such as bullying, coworker incivility, and supervisor incivility, negatively influence nurses’ work and health. It is unclear whether these forms of workplace mistreatment have similar precipitating factors and outcomes. We surveyed 342 new graduate nurses in Ontario to explore correlates of 3 forms of workplace mistreatment. Workplace incivility and bullying were significantly related to authentic leadership, structural empowerment, worklife fit, and psychological capital. Bullying was more strongly related to job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion, and mental and physical health outcomes than supervisor and coworker incivility. New graduate nurses’ experiences of 3 types of workplace mistreatment are related to organizational and health factors, although bullying appears to have stronger negative effects.

Answering the Call: New Directions in the Study of Workplace Interactions

Interpersonal interactions matter to individuals and the organizations which employ them. This collection of presentations addresses employee behaviors ranging from the negative (e.g., workplace incivility) to the positive (e.g., civility). The authors move the literature forward by addressing novel topics and utilizing rigorous research methods, answering the call by Hershcovis and Reich (2013), who recently criticized the extant literature on workplace aggression. In the first study, Kabat-Farr and Walsh address the relational context of workplace mistreatment by studying behavioral reactions to supervisor incivility, focusing on employee characteristics that may affect reciprocation of incivility toward the supervisor and/or engagement in displaced aggression toward coworkers. The second study by Leiter, Price, and Day explores connections between attachment styles and interpersonal treatment in organizations. They find that anxious and avoidant attachment styles are positively linked to experienced and instigated incivility. The third study uses an experimental method to understand reactions to observed mistreatment in organizations. Reich draws on Aquino and Lamertz’s (2004) relational model of workplace victimization to investigate whether bystander reactions vary as a function of the nature of and relationship between perpetrator and target. In the final study, employing a longitudinal social network method, Porath and Gerbasi turn their attention to respect, and find that it can lead to positive gains for the civil individual, including being perceived as a leader and a source of work advice. Dr. Julian Barling will serve as the discussant and provide constructive feedback on each presentation, as well as stimulate discussion among attendees. The Influence of Victim and Perpetrator Archetypal Roles on Third-party Reactions to Mistreatment Presenter: Tara Reich; London School of Economics

The influence of empowerment and incivility on the mental health of new graduate nurses

To test a model based on Kanter's theory of structural empowerment, which examines the relationships between new graduate nurses' perceptions of structural empowerment, workplace incivility and mental health symptoms. The initial years of practice can be particularly stressful for new graduate nurses, who may be particularly vulnerable to uncivil behaviour as a result of their status in the work environment. Disempowerment and incivility in the workplace may compound the mental health symptoms experienced by new graduate nurses. A predictive, non-experimental design was used to examine the relationship between structural empowerment, workplace incivility and mental health symptoms in a sample of new graduate nurses working in hospital settings in Ontario (n=394). High levels of structural empowerment were significantly associated with fewer negative mental health symptoms in new graduates. However, co-worker incivility and supervisor incivility partially mediated the effect of structural empowerment on new graduate nurses' mental health symptoms. The findings suggest that empowering workplaces contribute to lower mental health symptoms in new graduate nurses, an effect that is diminished by incivility. Strategies that foster empowering work conditions and reduce uncivil behaviour are needed to promote positive mental health in new graduate nurses.

Reducing turnover intent: supervisor and co-worker incivility and socialization-related learning

Organizational researchers need to better understand what constitutes uncivil supervisor and co-worker behaviours and how to reduce their occurrences in workplaces. This study uses the lenses of organizational socialization and social exchange theories to interpret the influence of supervisor and co-worker incivility on employees' socialization-related learning and turnover intent. The results revealed that supervisor incivility had both a direct and indirect effect on turnover intent. Future research testing the model in diverse international contexts is recommended, and practical organizational efforts such as conflict resolution strategy training and diversity awareness training for supervisors are discussed as possible means to reduce incivility and turnover intent.

Correlates of New Graduate Nurses’ Experiences of Workplace Mistreatment

This study explores correlates of new graduate nurses' experiences of workplace mistreatment. New graduate nurses' experiences of workplace mistreatment, such as bullying, coworker incivility, and supervisor incivility, negatively influence nurses' work and health. It is unclear whether these forms of workplace mistreatment have similar precipitating factors and outcomes. We surveyed 342 new graduate nurses in Ontario to explore correlates of 3 forms of workplace mistreatment. Workplace incivility and bullying were significantly related to authentic leadership, structural empowerment, worklife fit, and psychological capital. Bullying was more strongly related to job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion, and mental and physical health outcomes than supervisor and coworker incivility. New graduate nurses' experiences of 3 types of workplace mistreatment are related to organizational and health factors, although bullying appears to have stronger negative effects.

Path Analysis for Workplace Incivility, Empowerment, Burnout, and Organizational Commitment of Hospital Nurses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine nurses' experience of workplace incivility from coworkers, supervisors, patients or patients' families, and doctors. The researcher identified the relationships among empowerment, burnout, and organizational commitment of hospital nurses. Methods: The sample included 415 hospital nurses. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. Results: The average incivility score was 2.94 from doctors and 2.89 from patients or patients’ families, higher than from supervisors (1.90) and coworkers (1.87). The variables affecting burnout included direct effect of empowerment (β=-.46, p<.001), direct effect of patients or patients’ family incivility (β=.14, p<.001), direct effect of supervisor incivility (β=.12, p<.001), and direct effect of doctor incivility (β=.09, p<.001). The variables affecting organizational commitment were direct effect of burnout (β=-.58, p<.001), indirect effect of empowerment (β=-.23, p<.001), indirect effect of patients or patients’ family incivility (β=-.12, p<.001), indirect effect of supervisor incivility (β=-.10, p<.001), and indirect effect of doctor incivility (β=-.09, p<.001). Conclusion: The results indicate that incivility affecting nurses results in a high degree of burnout and a low degree of organizational commitment. Therefore, it is necessary to assess incivility cases and to hold workshops designed to curb incivility and establish healthy workplaces.

Getting better and staying better: Assessing civility, incivility, distress, and job attitudes one year after a civility intervention.

Health care providers (n = 1,957) in Canada participated in a project to assess an intervention to enhance workplace civility. They completed surveys before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and one year later. Results highlighted three patterns of change over the three assessments. These data were contrasted with data from control groups, which remained constant over the study period. For workplace civility, experienced supervisor incivility, and distress, the pattern followed an Augmentation Model for the intervention groups, in which improvements continued after the end of the intervention. For work attitudes, the pattern followed a Steady State Model for the intervention group, in that they sustained their gains during intervention but did not continue to improve. For absences, the pattern reflected a Lost Momentum Model in that the gains from preintervention to postintervention were lost, as absences returned to the preintervention level at follow-up. The results are discussed in reference to conceptual and applied issues in workplace civility.