Canadian Government Executive - Volume 26 - Issue 01

January/February 2020 // Canadian Government Executive / 23 G ood manners are the foun- dation for building positive relationships with bosses, coworkers, and employees. They are essential in creat- ing a healthy work environment, main- taining a competent workforce, and in- spiring confidence in employees. The best teams are those where each member feels valued and respected. Leaders in public service should lead with respect, appreciation, and especially civility. But having good manners in the workplace has become increasingly diffi- cult. Leaders seem keener to assert author- ity than to earn respect. Incivility in the workplace A 2014 survey of the federal public service reported that nearly one in five workers claimed to be victims of harassment on the job. Accountemps, a Toronto employment agency, found that 70 per cent of respon- dents surveyed felt that the more presti- gious the job title, the less polite their su- pervisors or co-workers tended to be. Forbes magazine published a global an- nual poll on workplace incivility in 2016. It showed that 62 per cent of employees were treated rudely at work at least once a month. It also found that, since the poll’s launch in 1998, rude behaviour increased at an astounding rate. This means that ev- ery year chances go up that your leaders and employees are dismissive, demeaning, or discounting of one another. Incivility can be damaging in the short and long term, affecting employees’ com- mitment to their organization, job per- formance, and motivation. A recent study showed that 78 per cent of people who experience uncivil behaviour from col- leagues become less committed to the or- ganization, 66 per cent suffer a decline in overall performance, and 47 per cent de- liberately spend less time at work. Craig Dowden, Certified Positive Psy- chology Coach, cites behaviours that can lead to a toxic work environment: talking behind someone’s back, publicly doubting someone’s judgement, paying little or no attention to an expressed opinion, taking credit for someone else’s work or ideas, making derogatory remarks. Overcoming incivility requires a top- down approach. Managers should always demonstrate appropriate behaviour. And they should make it clear what kind of behaviour will not be tolerated. Stud- ies show that when leaders ignore these problems, they send a message that inci- vility is a tolerated behaviour. Managers should remind their staff about how to treat one another, as well as addressing concerns immediately. Not everything in the workplace will be perfect. There may always be an office jerk. Some simple things can be done to make the workplace more respectful: • Treat others the way you would like to be treated; • Develop mindfulness; • Say “thank you,” “please,” “good morn - ing,” and “goodbye”; and • Acknowledge good work. Business organizations are beginning to use training to address incivility. A recent study found that customized and target- ed training on civility increased morale, boosted self-confidence, and improved collaboration in the workplace. Good manners can keep hard-working people with the organization longer, increase productivity, decrease absences, and build teamwork. Why Millennials should care about civility By 2025, Millennials will make up 70 per cent of the workforce. Baby Boomers are retiring in record numbers, and Genera- tion Xers are moving up and relinquishing their seats to Millennials. There are les- sons to be learned during the transition. Boomers rely on face-to-face interaction as their preferred style for reading people and situations. They observe good man- ners and demonstrate at every opportu- nity what it means to be a “civil” servant. Millennials should watch and learn how Boomers accomplish more by knowing how to treat people. As Millennials assume new leadership roles, they are expected to display more poise and politeness than their predeces- sors. In addition to competence built on education, talent, and resilience, they are expected to manage with compassion, kindness, and mindfulness. We want them to model the solution, not to become part of the problem. Millennials need to understand the im- portance of good manners to be successful leaders. By active listening, encourage- ment, and consideration of colleagues, they can help develop a healthy, vibrant workforce. Millennials can leave a special legacy by restoring civility to the work- place. Kelly Reyes is a public servant with the Economic Development and Culture Division of the City of Toronto. She is a candidate for the Master of Public Policy, Administration and Law at York University (kellyrf@my.york.ca) . Millennial Outlook by Kelly Reyes maketh the person Manners Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot. – Clarence Thomas