Workplace Civility: Promoting Respect and Professional Behaviour

 

Introduction

Civility relates to being respectful, courteous and professional in your work relationships. A respectful workplace creates a better working environment for employees, fostering better relationships and increased productivity; it also decreases interpersonal tensions and negative workplace behaviours (Xue, 2023).


Understanding Workplace Civility

In the workplace, Civility is characterized by respectful and courteous communications with one another and treating others with respect and professionalism, regardless of their status or background. HR professionals promote civility by establishing clear workplace policies, providing behavioural training and encouraging respectful communication. Leaders also have a significant role in modeling positive behaviour and respond quickly to inappropriate behaviour (SHRM, n.d.).

Theory in Practice in HRM.

Social Exchange Theory (Blau, 1964) has it that when a employee is treated fairly and well, he/she will respond positively. HR departments successfully use this theory to establish a workplace culture that is characterized by trust, fairness and mutual respect. Cooperation, commitment and positive workplace behaviours are more likely to be exhibited by employees when they receive respectful treatment.

 

Benefits and Challenges

A civil workplace helps to boost employee participation and cooperation, job satisfaction, and decrease stress, absenteeism and workplace conflicts. It also makes employees more loyal and increases organizational culture. But cultivating a culture of respect in the workplace can be difficult in organizations that are diverse and may have various communication styles and cultural backgrounds which cause misunderstandings. To maintain respectful workplace relationships, there needs to be ongoing training and effective leadership (How Civil Is Your Workplace?, 2024).



Organizational Example

To foster a workplace culture that promotes civility, Microsoft emphasizes collaboration, professionalism, and mutual support among its employees (Microsoft, 2026). Dialog Axiata PLC in Sri Lanka fosters good working practices by engaging its employees with programmes and development initiatives, as well as implementing policies to promote inclusion, team working and ethical behaviour (DialogAxiata, 2025).

Personal Perspective

I believe that civility in the workplace is critical to fostering a positive and productive workplace. Staff are more productive and effective when they are respected, appreciated and supported by their peers and managers.

Key Takeaways

By fostering a respectful workplace culture, HR can help organizations thrive, promote collaboration and enhance employee well-being.



Suggested Video

https://youtu.be/bSHaZwLbgbg?si=kYqDY-_DWURvDs8X

References

Blau, P.M. (1964). Exchange and Power in Social Life. New York: Wiley.

DialogAxiata (2025). Dialog wins National Award for DEI Leadership in Corporate Sector. [online] Dialog Axiata PLC. Available at: https://dialog.lk/news/dialog-wins-national-award-for-dei-leadership-in-corporate-sector?language=en.

How Civil Is Your Workplace? (2024). [online] HR Future. Available at: https://www.hrfuture.net/workplace-culture/strategy/leadership/how-civil-is-your-workplace/.

Microsoft (2026). Empowering our employees. [online] Microsoft. Available at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/empowering-employees?msockid=355008e7c5946330022e1fd4c48b62b0.

SHRM (n.d.). Handbook Workplace Civility Background. [online] Available at: https://www.shrm.org/content/dam/en/shrm/topics-tools/topics/civility/starter-kit/workplace-civility-handbook.pdf.

Xue, P. (2023). Advancing Workplace Civility: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Definitions, Measurements, and Associated Factors. Frontiers in Psychology, [online] 14(1277188), pp.1–20. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1277188.

 


Comments

  1. Nethmi RathnayakeAugust 2, 2026 at 7:24 AM

    Nice post civility is one of those things everyone assumes will just happen, so it's good to see it treated as something HR actually has to build.

    I especially liked the point about diverse workplaces, where different communication styles can be misread as disrespect. The Dialog Axiata example made it feel close to home too. Well written!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kavinda NagarawaththaAugust 12, 2026 at 5:35 AM

      Thank you so much for your kind words! You hit the nail on the head--civility shouldn't just be an assumed aspect of a professional setting, but must be actively fostered and maintained by HR. I was delighted to learn that the idea of various communication styles resonated with you as well; in a multicultural setting, misunderstanding conversational norms is a prime example of the ways different people can be unintentionally viewed as disrespectful, so setting clear expectations is key. I'm so happy the Dialog Axiata case study made the concept feel more grounded and real; thank you for reading and sharing your feedback!

      Delete

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