‘No Time to Be Nice’ a recent NYTimes article by Rutgers University Professor Christine Porath, reports that people claim they are rude because they are overloaded – and don’t have time to be nice. Does this sound familiar?
Porath’s research, however, demonstrates that the consequences of uncivil behavior are costly to both individuals and the organizations they inhabit. She notes that targets of uncivil behavior have higher rates of serious health conditions – including ulcers, diabetes and cancer. Employee absenteeism increases and work performance declines in toxic workplaces. In a large study of hospital personnel 71% of respondents tied abrasive behavior to medical errors; 27% tied patient deaths to such behavior.
So, even as you labor under stressful circumstances, it is worth remembering that respect doesn’t necessarily require extra time. Instead, the investment in curbing uncivil behaviors will pay dividends in the form of lower employee turnover and higher work performance. For leaders, civility pays off.