Civility comes from the word civis, which in Latin means “citizen”, the “behaviour proper to civilized persons”¹.  The sense of ‘politeness’ arose in the mid-16th century. It currently denotes kind, courteous, polite behaviour and respect for others.

Incivility is rude, impolite, and discourteous behaviour. Often prompted by thoughtlessness as opposed to malice. These micro-aggressions are often insidious yet pernicious, eroding engagement and morale. It can take constant vigilance to keep the workplace civil; otherwise, incivility tends to creep into everyday interactions. Leaders must emphasise civility and disrupt patterns of disrespect in the workplace.

Research has found that the leader behaviour that has the single most powerful effect on employees is respect². Perceptions of warmth and competence account for more than 90 per cent of positive or negative impressions². Yet, a quarter of employees surveyed believed that they will be less leader-like if they show civility, and nearly 40 per cent are afraid that they’ll be taken advantage of if they’re nice at work. Almost 50 per cent thought it would be better to flex their muscles to garner power².  The 2021 NHS staff survey results indicate that 11.6 per cent of respondents had experienced bullying from a manager and 18.7 per cent from a colleague³.  The percentage of staff surveyed who reported they were considering leaving the NHS (nationally) rose from 26 to 31 per cent and the percentage of staff recommending the NHS as a place to work fell from 67 to 60 percent³.

Most commonly people do not have the self-awareness to realise how they affect others. Respect is different for different people. Norms can vary due to several factors, including generational expectations.

Generational expectations

Differences between generations encompass communication styles, expectations, work styles, values and norms, attitudes about work and life, views on authority, and acceptance of change⁴. Currently, the workplace is made up largely of three generations: Generation X (1965 – 1980), Generation Y (1981- 1996), and Generation Z (1997-2010).  With Generation Baby Boomers (1946- 1964) having an increasingly smaller presence.

Generational diversity is a challenge, whilst it is important not to assume everyone in a certain generation thinks and acts in the same way.  They have all been raised within a set of social and historic events that have helped shape their attitudes and worldviews⁴. Resulting in each generation having its own characteristics and differences. In terms of leadership, Baby Boomers have tended to accept the chain of command and are happy to take direction from perceived authority. Conversely, Generation X has been described as egalitarian and unlikely to respect authority⁴.  Tending to be more independent, self-motivated and self-sufficient, this generation may prefer their employer to treat them more as a partner rather than a worker⁴.  Generation Y places a high level of importance on value-centred leadership that is inclusive, collaborative, and committed, preferring approachable leaders⁵. Research has shown that Generations Y and Z value leaders who are emotionally intelligent⁵, acting more as mentors than traditional hierarchal leaders.

The older generations tend to lead the newer generations albeit being raised in different times and changing cultures resulting in different ideas about leadership and performance. As Generations Y and Z continue to form a larger presence in the workplace, flexible leadership styles will be required in order to attract and retain these employees⁶.

The Royal Wolverhampton’s civility and respect’ campaign

The NHS recognises that a compassionate and inclusive culture is required at the very heart of the NHS⁷, introducing the Civility and Respect Framework⁸.  Aligned with this framework, summer 2022 will see the rollout of RWT’s ‘civility and respect’ campaign. Providing an opportunity to hear from staff about ways in which they are being civil and respectful and how they can start to build this into their cultures and practice within their teams. The Trust will share several tools including a bite-sized introductory workshop, alongside several videos and materials focusing on civility and respect. It is hoped the campaign will help to reduce the number of staff experiencing bullying and harassment and instances of discrimination and improve overall morale and motivation. For the  NHS to become an employer of excellence, bullying and harassment must be tackled⁹ and civility ubiquitous.

References

1. Civility | Etymology, origin and meaning of civility by etymonline. Published 2022. Accessed May 30, 2022. https://www.etymonline.com/word/civility
2. Porath CL, Gerbasi A. Does civility pay? Organ Dyn. 2015;44:281-286. doi:10.1016/j.orgdyn.2015.09.005
3. National Health Service. NHS Staff Survey 2021 results | NHS Employers. Published 2022. Accessed May 30, 2022. https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/nhs-staff-survey-2021-results
4. Duquesnoy P. Generations, leadership style and employee performance. Sch Soc Behav Sci Tilbg Univ. 2011;(June 2011). http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=115021
5. Aguas J.M. Generation Z’s Perspectives on Leadership. Emerg Leadersh Journeys. 2019;1(13). Accessed May 30, 2022. https://www.regent.edu/journal/emerging-leadership-journeys/gen-z-generation-z-leadership/
6. Dulin L. Leadership preferences of a generation Y cohort: A mixed-methods investigation. J Leadersh Stud. 2008;2(1):43-59. doi:10.1002/JLS.20045
7. NHS England. We Are the NHS?: People Plan 2020/21.; 2020. https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/We-Are-The-NHS-Action-For-All-Of-Us-FINAL-March-21.pdf
8. The National Health Service. Supporting our staff: A toolkit to promote cultures of civility and respect. NHS England.
9. The NHS Long Term Plan. Published Online First.; 2019. https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/
10. NHS England. Tackling bullying in the NHS infographic | NHS Employers. Published 2022. Accessed May 30, 2022. https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/tackling-bullying-nhs-infographic