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

Abstract

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.

Influence of workplace incivility on the quality of nursing care

“…Workplace incivility is troubling not only to the healthcare provider but also to the delivery of care beneath the shade of incivility (Abdollahzadeh et al, ). Pearson, Andersson, and Wegner () stated that “WPI is low‐intensity divergent behaviour with uncertain intention to injure a person, violating the workplace standards and norms for reciprocal respect.” In a study, Holm, Torkelson, and Backstrom () reflected that if incivility cannot be resolved, it may advance to more threatening circumstances or actions. A person who experiences WPI may bear various harmful behaviours and negative psychological effects, such as anxiety, exhaustion, anger stress, sleeplessness and depression (Holm et al, ).…”

Testing the reciprocal associations among co-worker incivility, organisational inefficiency, and work-related exhaustion: A one-year, cross-lagged study

“…On the other hand, there were cross-sectional studies, which assumed the predicting role of incivility on the perception of the work environment (e.g. Holm, Torkelson, & Bäckström, 2015). …”

Relationship Dynamics of Burnout, Turnover Intentions and Workplace Incivility Perceptions

“…This finding suggests that it is the subjective feeling or perception of the targets of incivility that manifests itself between the experience of being burned out and turnover intentions. The explanation for this mediating effect is the fact that incivility is that malicious situation which have been proven significant in explaining the relationship among various work related attitudes and behaviors (Holm et al, 2015;Karim et al, 2015). The mediating effect of workplace incivility, as proved by this study, are in line with the risk management model (Leiter, 2013) and assumtions of 'incivility spiral' by Anderssson and Pearson (1999) and disempowerment theory (Kane & Montgomery, 1998).…”

“…That is, the mediating effect of workplace incivility on the relationship between burnout and turnover intentions. Researchers theorize workplace incivility as a social process having detrimental consequences (Holm, Torkelson, & Bäckström, 2015). Andersson and Pearson (1999), have explained how workplace incivility manifests itself as a reciprocal social process.…”