Friday, August 26, 2011

KeFactors Friday: Examples of Workplace Incivility





The further down this list you go, the more egregious the acts of incivility.


Frequency and noise levels of cell phone usage in office
Not returning phone calls or e-mails
Swiping someone else’s food from the breakroom fridge

“Pet peeve #1 among many is when people take someone else’s food from the fridge.”

— Dr. P. Forni, Civility Project, Johns Hopkins

Leaving shared workspaces in disarray or with supplies depleted
Leaving the fax/copier/printer jammed or depleted
Taking the last cup of coffee without making more
Using the last of any kitchen supply and not replacing it
Failing to use basic courtesies (“please,” “thank you,” etc)
Texting or checking e-mails during meetings

“Cell phones are a way of minimizing the group...[users} are telling the rest that ‘You
don’t matter and I’m very important.’”

— Dr. Joseph Miller, New School for Social Research

Using co-workers’ supplies
• Taking first without asking permission
• Not returning what was borrowed
• Returning what was borrowed in degraded condition
Interrupting conversations or disrupting meetings
Chronic tardiness
Withholding project and client info necessary to project
Using proprietary or confidential info as “social currency” for gossip
Taking credit; not sharing credit on group projects
Participating in negative speculative gossip; spreading rumors
Speaking disparagingly to a subordinate or colleague in front of others
Sending nasty, demeaning e-mails
Accusing someone of ignorance, lack of knowledge
Undermining a colleague’s work or credibility
Blaming others for actions for which they’re not culpable
Procrastinating on work that subsequently causes others to lose time or put in extra hours
Giving a co-worker the silent treatment; encouraging group to do so as well
Making unreasonable requests
Yelling and screaming at subordinates or colleagues
Name-calling, profanity, racial slurs
Hovering and badgering
Bullying behaviors: direct or indirect threats and intimidation
Shunning; “mobbing” (retaliations)
Workplace physical aggression or violence

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