"Is There Really No Time to be Nice?": a Micro-Level Analysis of Antecedents to Incivility

Defined as a type of mistreatment of low intensity and ambiguous intent to harm, incivility is a persistent and troubling workplace phenomenon. Rooted in the self-determination theory, the impact of time pressure on workplace incivility was considered. Using an experimental design, 62 participants acted as managers in mock performance appraisals; half in each time condition (‘time pressure’ and ‘no time pressure’). Sessions were video recorded and two third-party raters, blind to the manipulation, coded the verbal and non-verbal communication behaviours of the managers and employees. Results showed that time pressure had a non-significant impact on manager incivility, and the number and type of questions the manager asked. However, significant results supported the idea that incivility breeds incivility. Supplemental analyses demonstrated that while self-reported incivility was unrelated to either third party or employee reports of manager incivility, a significant relationship existed between third-party and employee reports of manager incivility. Despite insignificant findings regarding time pressure as an antecedent of incivility, further exploration is encouraged.