The Importance of Kindness and Civility at Work

Civility is a word you may have heard tossed around this election season. But how many of us know what it means, let alone practice it in our everyday lives? Civility in the context of the work we do means practicing workplace respect, engaging in professional conduct and following jobsite protocols.

Practicing civil behavior establishes a safe and empathetic environment where individuals can contribute their best ideas, knowing they will be heard and valued. Civility is more than making others feel comfortable – it’s about creating a dynamic, diverse and productive workplace where everyone can thrive.

Whether you’re a leader, middle manager or new employee, you play a part in creating a psychologically safe workplace environment. While this is important year round, it ramps up during particularly tense periods of time, such as during or following an election season. So how can you promote kindness and civility at work?

For Managers and Leaders

As a leader, you should encourage empathetic, respectful dialogue and focus on shared goals at work. You can do this by:

• Modeling a positive attitude and treating everyone with respect
• Being guided by empathy, recognizing that everyone has their own challenges and your role is to offer support and ensure the job still gets done.
• Encouraging employees to communicate in a way that’s inclusive, open and curious, ensuring all team members feel safe and valued.
• Reminding workers that we’re all on the same team working toward shared goals – whether that’s completing a job on time, providing great service or hitting a performance target. Doing so shifts attention away from divisive topics and fosters a sense of unity and purpose.

For Employees

Workers can help foster a healthy work environment by setting boundaries, practicing active listening and taking care of themselves.

• It’s important to establish clear boundaries if you prefer to skip talking about divisive topics like politics, religion, finances or personal matters. If a conversation topic makes you feel uncomfortable, politely steer it back to work-related topics. For example, “I find that political discussions can be distracting for me at work, so I’d rather focus on the task at hand.”
• Active listening means really hearing others instead of just waiting to respond. When discussing sensitive topics, it can ease tension and show respect for their views. Even if you disagree, try to understand by summarizing their points and asking questions. For example, “I get where you’re coming from. Tell me more about…”
• Practicing self-care and self-kindness allows you to perform at your best and encourages you to treat others the way you want to be treated. This looks like addressing yourself with understanding, setting realistic expectations for yourself, recognizing that no one is perfect and supporting your well-being by staying active, eating well, getting enough sleep and connecting with family and friends.

Deadlines, politics and interpersonal relationships have the potential to create a tense, stressful work environment. Combat these stressors by practicing kindness and civility to transform team morale and create a culture where everyone feels valued. Whether you’re a manager or a worker, you have a role to play in leading by example and creating a supportive environment.

The LHSFNA has a workplace code of conduct that can be provided to employers and embedded in employee handbooks and LIUNA also has a code of performance that all card-carrying members are expected to follow. Click here to learn more.

[Emily Vollmer]