Overcoming Workplace Anxiety Through Kindness

In a tough economy, one thing today’s workers can predict with certainty is change. From company restructurings to closures, layoffs and paychecks, employees are balancing economic challenges with the feasibility of remote work, flexibility and other benefits. But managing change depends not only on the paycheck, but also on the value of personal relationships in the workplace, research explains.

Surviving the Winds of Change in the Workplace

Annamaria Di Fabio et al. (2016) explored the impact of cultural workplace relationships on well-being and acceptance of change.(i) They begin by noting the contemporary reality of the world of work, which they describe as one of instability, globalisation and change – which cannot be avoided. They note the importance of organisations deliberately fostering a positive relational environment that can enable employees to develop personal resources that will enable them to survive workplace change in order to promote personal well-being.

More specifically, Di Fabio et al. examined the relationship between workplace civility, well-being, and acceptance of change beyond the influence of different personality traits. In a study of 261 Italian employees, they found that workplace civility accounted for a percentage of the variance beyond the influence of personality traits, as it influenced acceptance of change, as well as meaning and satisfaction with life.

Di Fabio et al. recognize that a positive relational environment in the workplace will help employees strengthen their psychological strengths, which is helpful both in managing relationships and in embracing ongoing evolution in the workplace. They note that employees who practice relational civility in the workplace are better prepared to face and cope with critical issues of change in their organizations, and accepting change through positive relationships can help people effectively respond and respond to the complexities of modern work in the 21st century.

Overall, Di Fabio et al. found that relational civility in an organizational setting enhances the identification of meaning in work, encouraging the pursuit of meaningful goals. In this way, positive work relationships contribute to professional self-fulfillment, shaping healthy employees for healthy organizations.

Combating incivility through social support

If civility improves the ability to withstand change, it is important to improve methods for restoring civility—which may be experienced differently by men and women. Annamaria Di Fabio and Mirko Duradoni (2019) find that more women than men are exposed to workplace incivility, defined as “low-level deviant behavior with an ambiguous intent to harm the target.”(ii) Why is incivility becoming increasingly common? They note that the impact of globalization, technological advances, and rapid economic change on the modern workplace experience may contribute to feelings of stress, as coping with constant change can be taxing. They also note that work and information overload can increase perceived time pressures, which may encourage employees to behave in less civil ways.

Di Fabio and Duradoni acknowledge that experiencing incivility can cause depression, low self-esteem, and a decreased sense of well-being. Not surprisingly, incivility is negatively related to psychological well-being, as well as job and life satisfaction. For women, Di Fabio and Duradoni note that the negative association between incivility and job satisfaction is stronger than the association between sexual aggression and job satisfaction (citing Lapierre et al., 2005).

On the bright side, Di Fabio and Duradoni conclude by recognizing the importance of social support, showing that positive and supportive relationships in the workplace can reduce mistreatment and mitigate the negative effects of incivility, as well as stress in general. Not surprisingly, receiving social support from both supervisors and coworkers increases job satisfaction.