The Role of Job Demands and Emotional Exhaustion in the Relationship Between Customer and Employee Incivility

Abstract

Workplace incivility research has focused on within-organizational sources of incivility, and less attention has been paid to outside-organizational sources such as customers. In a crosssectional field study, the authors found that service employees (N 307) who reported higher levels of uncivil treatment from customers engaged in higher levels of incivility toward customers. Specifically, the results show that customer incivility toward employees is related to employee incivility toward customers through job demands first and then emotional exhaustion. The authors discuss the implications of these results and highlight directions for future research.

Achieving favourable customer outcomes through employee deviance

“…van Jaarsveld, Walker & Skarlicki, 2010), extant research also identifies a number of constructive deviant behaviours (e.g. Umphress & Bingham, 2011;Appelbaum et al, 2007).…”

“…(van Jaarsveld et al, 2010). In fact, a positive affective response is more likely to be triggered from the customer's side, as pro-customer deviance aims at customer's welfare.…”

‘Shut up and bill’: workplace bullying challenges for the legal profession

“…Occupations in which there are interactions with clients are recognised as having higher levels of incivility (van Jaarsveld et al, 2010;Westaby, 2010). In such settings, front--line staff are responsible for satisfying client expectations within the boundaries established by the organisation, including service standards and cost minimisation.…”

“…In other words, legal practitioners are expected to meet both client and firm demands, resulting in a certain level of powerlessness (Seligman, Verkuil & Kang, 2001). Dissatisfied clients can easily become 'difficult', take their business elsewhere, or complain to the firm or the professional registration body (van Jaarsveld et al, 2010) in turn affecting the legal practitioner and their career. In a general sense, the legal fraternity is small and contained, and individuals are usually known to each other within cities, areas of practice and firms.…”

“…Heightened levels can change a positively charged workplace into a breeding ground for ill--feeling, resentment and incivility: a toxic environment. A range of behaviours from inappropriate conduct and incivility, all the way to bullying, abusive conduct and outright victimisation can be found in environments which are highly charged as a result of the pressures of competition and a climate of survival of the fittest (Omari et al, 2013;Salin, 2003a).Occupations in which there are interactions with clients are recognised as having higher levels of incivility (van Jaarsveld et al, 2010;Westaby, 2010). In such settings, front--line staff are responsible for satisfying client expectations within the boundaries established by the organisation, including service standards and cost minimisation.…”