Civility and Respect

Mar. 15

Written By Worker's Compensation Board Of Nova Scotia -

Involves respectful and considerate interactions that demonstrate esteem, care and acknowledgement of dignity among all work relationships, including with customers, clients and the public.

What is civility and respect?

Civility and respect is present in a work environment where workers are respectful and considerate in their interactions with one another, as well as with customers, clients and the public. One of the most extreme examples of disrespectful behaviour is harassment and bullying.

Civility and respect are based on demonstrating respect, care and consideration for others, and acknowledging their dignity.

An organization with good civility and respect would be able to state that:

People treat each other with respect and consideration in the workplace.
The organization effectively handles conflicts between people in the workplace (workers, customers, clients, members of the public, suppliers, etc.).
Workers from all backgrounds are treated fairly in the workplace.
The organization has effective ways of addressing inappropriate behaviour by customers or clients.

This video was developed by The Mental Health Commission of Canada, in partnership with Ottawa Public Health with content adapted from The Mindful Employer.

Why is civility and respect important?

A civil and respectful workplace can contribute to greater job satisfaction, feelings of fairness and an overall positive environment. It is also linked to improving morale and teamwork and supervisor-staff relationships. As a result, workers may be more invested in personal development and more actively participate in problem solving. It has been shown that civil and respectful workplaces have lower levels of sick leave and staff turnover. Organizations characterized by civility and respect often foster a positive atmosphere with high morale and work satisfaction, along with more positive interactions with clients and customers.

When a workplace lacks civility and respect, the outcome can be harmful to the organization and its workers. Emotional exhaustion, health problems, job withdrawal and increased conflict could come as a result. There is also the increased potential for labour management conflicts.

One of the most extreme examples of disrespectful behaviour is harassment and bullying, which can harm work performance, contribute to people missing work, and could lead to risk for depression, anxiety, and physical symptoms of distress. Harassment and bullying not only affects workers subjected to this behaviour, but it can also negatively affect people who witness it. It can lead to reputational and legal risks for employers and workplaces.

Starting in September 2024, new supports and benefits will be available from WCB Nova Scotia (WCB) to workers in Nova Scotia who experience a psychological or mental health injury from workplace harassment and bullying.

FAQs

• The Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia has created resources to help prevent and address workplace harassment and bullying. Access the online toolkit here or contact the WCB for more information.
• The Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills, and Immigration has helpful tools, training, and resources about workplace harassment and bullying that can be accessed through NovaSAFE.
• The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) offers fact sheets, courses, and other materials about workplace harassment, bullying and violence prevention here.
• Provide training and resources on civil and respectful workplace behaviour (e.g. interpersonal conflict resolution, anger management).
• Provide support and training for staff who are most likely to experience difficult behaviour or complaints during the course of their work (e.g. from disgruntled customers/clients).
• Implement diversity and inclusivity training throughout the organization to reinforce your commitment that all workers should be included in a positive and supportive workplace culture.
• Adopt and enforce non-discriminatory and inclusive language in all communications.
• Maintain the confidentiality of workers’ personal information in all communications.
• Ensure policies on civility and respect are clear and can be easily accessed by all staff.
• Create and enforce civility and respect policies and guidelines that detail expectations and consequences for inappropriate behaviour.
• Provide policies on civility and respect when recruiting, hiring and orienting staff.
• Maintain a zero-tolerance for disrespectful behaviour, while allowing for constructive problem solving.
• When inappropriate behaviour occurs (including from customers or clients), ensure investigation, documentation and mediation take place in a timely manner.
• Consider outside options for solutions to conflict (e.g. informal third-party intervention, formal mediation).

Next Steps

Ensuring civility and respect in the workplace

A work environment where employees are respectful and considerate in their interactions with one another, as well as with customers, clients and the public.
• Effective teamwork and positive morale.
• Reduced interpersonal conflict.
• Fewer labour management conflicts and potential for legal risks.
• Reduced customer/client complaints.
• Do issues related to civility and respect present a greater risk to particular groups of employees (e.g. new employees, certain jobs, shift workers, etc.)?
• What are the strengths in your workplace in terms of civility and respect (e.g. what do you do well and what should you continue doing)?
• What could your workplace do to improve in this area (e.g. what could you do more of and what could you do less of)?