Beyond stopping bad behaviour: The case for building civility
Workplace civility is often talked about less than incivility, bullying and conflict — yet the research suggests civility matters just as much, and possibly more, when it comes to healthy teams.
I read a systematic review and meta-analysis by Peng et al. (2023) on workplace civility, and it prompted a few reflections from my own practice supporting organisations to repair culture. The review highlights something I also see in real workplaces every week: small respectful behaviours shape how people feel, act and relate. Culture exists in the micro-moments.
What the research says about workplace civility
The review explored how civility is defined, measured and linked to outcomes. A few points stood out:
Civility is respectful, courteous behaviour between colleagues.
It’s less researched than incivility, even though it’s strongly linked to positive outcomes.
Higher civility aligns with better job satisfaction, commitment, psychological wellbeing and team functioning.
Lower civility links with higher burnout, absenteeism and intentions to leave.
Organisations often focus on reducing incivility instead of building civility.
The authors call for better tools and clearer language to assess civility and support interventions.
Straightforward findings, yet powerful.
Civility isn’t fluffy - it’s behavioural
In my consulting work, I’ve noticed teams rarely fall apart suddenly. It happens slowly through patterns:
Short, blunt emails instead of human conversation.
People stop acknowledging each other’s work.
Meetings feel transactional.
Psychological distance replaces connection.
These behaviours can feel minor in isolation, but culture is cumulative.
By contrast, when teams practise everyday civility — greeting each other, listening without interruption, thanking people for help — tension eases and cooperation improves. I’ve seen morale lift simply from leaders switching to clearer, warmer communication. Not overly emotional — just respectful and human.
One example from practice
A clinical team I supported introduced a weekly five-minute appreciation round-up. Each person named something positive a colleague had done. It became quick, normal and something they looked forward to.
Over a few months:
Team engagement improved.
Friction reduced.
People reported feeling more valued.
No big programme. No policy rewrite. Just intentional civility.
Why this matters for organisations
If you want better teamwork, retention, wellbeing and productivity, you need more than the absence of bad behaviour. You need the presence of good behaviour.
A few practical ways to grow civility:
Model respectful dialogue, especially under pressure.
Give feedback with clarity and care.
Notice and acknowledge effort regularly.
Create routines that spotlight helpful behaviour.
Make time for connection in meetings, even two minutes.
Culture repair isn’t only about removing toxicity. It’s also about feeding the behaviours you want more of.
A question to take into your week
What is one small behaviour you could do today that demonstrates respect and humanity at work?
Workplace civility is built one interaction at a time.
When we get the small things right, the bigger things become easier.
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