Tolerating workplace incivility : trade-offs and repercussions of rewarding uncivil high performers

Abstract

Studies have illustrated that Workplace Incivility negatively impacts people, productivity and profits yet it persists. Anecdotal evidence suggests that uncivil behaviour from high performers is tolerated thus contributing to the persistence of Workplace Incivility yet empirical evidence is lacking. Using reward as a proxy for tolerance, I conducted three studies to examine; could, does and how does rewarding uncivil high performers happen. In Study One, I utilized vignettes to simulate a 360-performance review. Three variables were manipulated – behaviour (civil, occasionally and consistently uncivil), performance (meets, exceeds and super-exceeds expectations) and instigator’s gender (male and female identified by pronouns). The moderating effects of performance and gender on the incivility-reward (recommendation for reward, bonus, increase salary, high-profile projects, and promotion) relationship were assessed. Results indicated that performance weakened the incivility-reward relationship for promotion only demonstrating that performance lessened the influence of bad behaviour. There was no gender effect. In Study Two, I investigated correlations with employee attitude, workplace incivility, incivility prevention measures, and rewarding civil and uncivil employees. Results indicated that rewarding civil employees contributed to affective commitment, procedural and distributive justice, and incivility prevention while rewarding uncivil employees did not. Intention to quit and workplace incivility were positively correlated with rewarding uncivil employees. In Study Three, I conducted twelve interviews to gain contextual decision-making insights into Workplace Incivility. Most interviewees were unaware of incivility – potentially contributing to the promotion of uncivil high performers – until it was brought to their attention and then they took action by talking to the instigator and engaging Human Resources. This research helped to broaden our understanding of why Workplace Incivility persists