Creating a culture of workplace civility

Being civil to your coworkers is a prerequisite of your job. It doesn't matter where you work or what your role is: how you interact with others is just as defining as what you deliver. And for business and HR leaders, nurturing a culture of civility is not just a soft skill—it’s a core strategy for sustainable performance.

Civility goes deeper than politeness. It’s about creating an environment where psychological safety is the norm, diverse perspectives are encouraged, and mutual respect is embedded in every interaction, from boardrooms to break rooms, and across time zones. Think of it as the cultural infrastructure that holds together performance, productivity and people.

Workplace civility is the consistent demonstration of courtesy, professionalism and respect, regardless of job title, location or tenure. It’s about listening to understand rather than interrupting, disagreeing without diminishing, and acknowledging contributions from every corner of the organisation.

We have hard numbers on what happens when civility breaks down: as far back as 2010, the Productivity Commission estimated that workplace bullying costs the Australian economy $6 billion to $36 billion annually in absenteeism, health impacts, lost productivity, escalated grievances, regulatory intervention, lawsuits, and more. That’s not a rounding error—it’s a flashing red light on the dashboard of business performance.

And it only gets worse. By 2016, reports were suggesting that Australia has some of the highest rates of workplace bullying in the world. Safe Work estimates that mental health disorders related to workplace bullying are on average the highest expense in the serious claims category.

Incivility: management’s blind spot

Too often, incivility is only noticed when the problem escalates to bullying. But by then it's too late. And still, despite the scale of the problem, many employees feel they’ve been left to fend for themselves. Around 62% say managers ignored incivility when it occurred, and 68% feel their leaders care more about performance than people. Nearly 3 in 4 workers believe their supervisors could have done more to address disrespectful behaviour.

This leadership gap carries serious consequences—not just for morale, but for absenteeism, burnout, retention and ultimately, the bottom line.

Civility is not about avoiding hard conversations or tiptoeing around disagreement. It’s about creating the conditions for those conversations to happen in a constructive, respectful way.

When employees feel psychologically safe, they’re more likely to share innovative ideas. They will also collaborate  more freely across teams and share information. They will report higher levels of job satisfaction, and stay longer with the organisation.

Disrespect, on the other hand, has a compounding cost: people disengage, top talent walks, and teams fracture under the weight of unresolved tension.

Practical steps to embed civility into your culture

Leaders can’t afford to leave civility to chance. Here are 10 actionable strategies to make it a core part of organisational culture.

1. Define what good looks like

Civility must be explicit. Set clear behavioural expectations tied to your organisational values. These should include examples of respectful communication in various settings, from emails and Zoom calls to one-on-ones and performance reviews.

Co-creating a “civility code” with employees can foster buy-in and turn abstract values into tangible day-to-day practices.

2. Lead from the top—consistently

Leadership sets the tone. When executives model humility, listen with intent, apologise when needed, and openly recognise others, it signals that respect is not optional. It’s expected.

Leaders should also be skilled in navigating conflict without blame, defensiveness or avoidance. Civility starts at the top and trickles down.

3. Don’t just train: equip

Civility is a learnable skill. Offer training that builds emotional intelligence, active listening, inclusive communication and conflict resolution. These aren’t “nice-to-haves”—they’re essential in workplace.

Focus on content that addresses unconscious bias, microaggressions and inclusive language, especially to support underrepresented or marginalised employees.

4. Make feedback part of the culture

Regular feedback loops help leaders keep a pulse on the culture. Use engagement surveys, pulse checks, and skip-level meetings to gather insights, but don’t stop there.

It’s what you do with the data that matters. Feedback without action is worse than no feedback at all—it breeds scepticism and distrust.

5. Recognise the right behaviours

Spotlight and celebrate civil behaviours. Whether it’s a peer-nominated award, a public thank-you, or a quiet acknowledgement in a team meeting, small gestures go a long way.

Reinforce behaviours like empathy, collaboration and support, not just output or targets. Recognition shapes culture.

6. Create space for difficult conversations

Civility doesn’t mean shying away from uncomfortable truths. It means being able to tackle them with courage and compassion.

Set up forums for open dialogue around race, mental health, politics and other sensitive topics. Equip your people with the skills to disagree constructively and stay in the conversation without fear of retaliation.

7. Make reporting safe and simple

Employees need to know they can report incivility without backlash. Ensure your reporting channels are clear, confidential and responsive. Follow up appropriately and transparently to maintain trust.

Remember, seemingly “small” incidents can accumulate and cause lasting harm. Every raised hand matters.

8. Mind your digital manners

Remote and hybrid work has changed the game. Incivility now surfaces in snappy emails, curt Slack replies, chat groups and workplace activities that deliberately omit people, or even exclusionary video calls.

Set norms around digital etiquette, like pausing before sending, checking tone, and giving space for all voices in virtual meetings. A little intentionality can go a long way.

9. Start meetings with a human touch

Rebuild the social glue. Begin meetings with a brief check-in, a personal update, or a celebration of wins. These micro-moments create connection, reduce stress and remind everyone they’re working with humans, not just job titles.

10. Prioritise prevention over damage control

Don’t wait for incivility to hit crisis levels. Proactively invest in frameworks like Workplace Relational Civility (WRC), Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Positive Relational Management (PRM). These models help cultivate empathy, accountability and resilience—skills that future-proof your culture.

The strategic value of civility

Respect isn't just a moral good—it’s a commercial advantage. High-performing organisations are those where civility is not the exception, but the baseline. When people feel valued, they give more, stay longer and lift those around them.

As SHRM CEO Johnny C. Taylor Jr. puts it: “Fostering civility in the workplace is not just about politeness—it’s a strategic business imperative.”

Civility is a shared responsibility. It shows up in how we start conversations, how we respond under pressure, and how we treat others when there’s nothing to gain.

The future of work will favour those who can lead with empathy, disagree with dignity and build cultures where every voice matters.

So here’s the challenge: is your organisation ready to raise the bar?