Seeking Civility: Building your Bottom Line with Positive Workplace Practices

Incivility at work is on the rise. CareerBuilder.com released a study this year indicating that 1 in 4 people feel bullied at work. The Civility in America 2011 poll reported that 38% of workers believe the workplace is becoming more disrespectful, and 67% believe there is a strong need for civility training. In an online search over 12 million mentions of “civility” surface, a 460% increase from 2010, according to Weber Shandwick, the firm responsible for the Civility Poll. Clearly, Americans are taking notice of the need for respect at work.

Time and time again, research has demonstrated that when people get along internally, customer service, performance, reputation, and the bottom line all reap the benefits – a phenomenon coined “positive deviance” by author Kim Cameron. But a culture of civility is not developed through a one-time-training - it’s developed through systemic culture change. In other words, a focus on positive organizational culture is just good business.

This presentation suits a variety of audiences, including business owners, HR, and managers or supervisors.

At the end of this research-based presentation, attendees will have:

• A list of the under-the-radar negative behaviors employees exhibit and the kind of damage they cause
• Case studies showing the kind of benefits a positive organizational culture can reap
• Knowledge about the four facets of “positive deviance”
• A list of tangible action items that can be implemented immediately
• A strong understanding of how to plan for and build a culture of civility

Seeking Civility: Understanding & Eradicating Workplace Bullying 

Workplace bullying is systematic psychological abuse aimed at degrading and humiliating others, and research from around the world indicates up to 50% of working adults report that they have been bullied. Although OSHA and various state and federal regulations require employers provide a safe and harassment free work environment, it is an epidemic many employers are ill-equipped to deal with. Unfortunately, targets experience anxiety, discouragement, depression, burnout, reduced quality and quantity of work, and lower levels of job satisfaction. Abusive behaviors at work also invite severe damaging consequences for the organization, including increased absenteeism and turnover, communication breakdown, and inability to meet organizational goals.

This presentation suits a variety of audiences, including targets of bullying behaviors, business owners, HR, EAP's, or managers and supervisors.

At the end of this research-based presentation, attendees will have:

• A clear definition of bullying and examples of behaviors
• Comprehensive knowledge about the social system of bullying, including traits of bullies, targets, and the organization
• Astounding facts from the academic research on bullying
• An understanding of damage caused to targets and the organization
• Tools to determine the costs of bullying in order to make a business case for addressing it
• Tools for eradicating bullying behaviors at work through sustainable culture change
• Communication tips for being assertive in order to deal effectively with bullying behaviors
• Tips for coaching an aggressive employee as a manager or HR professional

Download a PDF version of these keynote descriptions.