3 things communicators can do to boost workplace civility

Civility and respect are not the norm in workplace interactions. They’re not the norm in our communities, either.

Statistics back this observation. The 2017 Civility in America survey—an annual study conducted by Weber Shandwick, Powell Tate and KRC Research—found that 69 percent of respondents believe the United States has a major civility problem. Seventy-five percent believe incivility has risen to “crisis levels,” and 73 percent feel the U.S. is losing stature as a “civil” nation.

As you might imagine, dysfunctional discourse, bullying and rampant disrespect corrode the American workplace, taking a toll on already weary workers. Gallup’s employee engagement data reveal that only 35 percent of U.S. workers are actively engaged at work. Another study found that a mere 21 percent of employees feel “strongly valued at work.”