Focus Group
On November 18, 2020, the team conducted a focus group with six participants from ages 18-23
from Pennsylvania universities, including Temple University and the University of Pittsburgh.
Participants were asked seven questions surrounding their experiences with incivility in the workplace,
how these issues were addressed, and their ideal solutions to negative civil discourse.
Here's what we found:
01
Incivility in the workplace
always changes staff dynamic
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All participants emphasized that dynamic in the workplace, whether just among staff or including upper management, changes after an incident of incivility.
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In some instances, people find community and solace in each other because they bond over a similar struggle or identity.
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However, many uncivil interactions result in an employee quitting or at least forming a toxic relationship with others in the workplace.
02
If executed well, civil discourse can have a positive impact
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One of our participants had a positive experience with civil discourse in the workplace. Their company intentionally set up a workshop to discuss difficult and potentially controversial topics.
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They found these discussions built more trust among staff members and allowed them to connect via shared identities and beliefs.
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This experience was so positive that they said they would suggest anyone to work at this company just because of how it handled civil discourse.
03
The impact of a negative workplace incident sticks
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The participants agreed acts of incivility in the workplace will stay with them, even as they move on in life.
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Certain words and actions expressed and experienced during uncivil interactions are unforgettable and extremely impactful on one's opinion of themself and their reality.
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This emphasizes how much damage incivility causes and how important civil discourse, which could have prevented these issues, is.