There isn’t much time to be nice at work

Job output is affected by the work environment

Even if an individual is gifted, their performance can be hampered by a cold climate or one that does not value their efforts. A leader is chosen to guide and encourage workers to achieve their full potential. Bad leadership, on the other hand, will stifle development and even promote hostility in the workplace. Christine Porathjune attempts to educate the reader about the negative consequences of organizational hostility in an article published on June 19, 2015. Porathjune’s goal is to change people’s perceptions of what it means to be a responsible manager. She argues that while there is a need to strike a balance between being efficient and friendly, there should be a consideration of the people’s feelings and sentiments. Indeed, it is possible for a boss to be liked at the workplace and hence steer his staff towards the right direction.

Porathjune’s observation of her dad’s failing health

Porathjune begins by giving a recount of her dad’s failing health due to a poor work condition at the workplace. She notes that having a mean boss seems to have affected her father’s health. Porathjune points out that for a considerable time, her once strong dad had encountered uncivil bosses and he developed stress that made him get hospitalized. The author says that over time, managers have become uncivilized and condescending to their juniors. From her observation, she is quick to point out that hostility significantly costs a company because sometimes workers quit joining better organizations leading to a talent loss. Porathjune asserts that being insensitive towards other people demoralizes them; affects their health and it makes them feel inadequate. It is also evident that when customers approach a particular company, they first check the attitude that the employees share with one another. Therefore, when a client experiences rude employees and arrogant bosses, they automatically develop a negative attitude towards the company and their products. In such a case, the customer may boycott the company altogether which can extend to massive losses.

Review of literature on workplace incivility

The author provides some literature review on the same topic. Robert M. Sapolsky notes that when people experience incivility for an extensive period, their immunity is affected. He further illustrates that individuals who are stressed at work are likely to develop cardiovascular disease, cancer, ulcers and even diabetes. Porathjune also highlights facts drawn from different studies to assert her argument on this topic. In a 2012 study that observed women for ten years, it was concluded that women in stressful jobs have a 38% chance of developing cardiovascular disease. Christine further notes that experiencing a bullying event raises the level of glucocorticoids hormones which affects the health of a person. The elevated hormones are likely to cause an increased appetite and even obesity.

Subtle actions of uncivil behavior in the workplace

Although uncivil behavior may not always be defined, some subtle actions can be considered rude and can significantly demoralize workers. For instance, a boss who always shouts at his juniors is likely to shut down their ideas and thoughts. Porathjune notes that a boss that for example mentions to his staff that their opinion is unwarranted demoralizes them, and he ends up being hated. Other ways in which a boss may seem to devalue their employees includes walking away from a conversation with an employee, going through their phones in meetings or even answering their calls. Supervisors need to be considerate of their employees’ feelings especially when they are making a correction. It is better for instance to correct an employee in the confinement of a private room instead of talking them down in front of their colleagues. Such an employee ends up feeling disrespected and is likely to perform poorly at work on that day. Employees naturally understand their position and role in an individual organization; it is therefore not useful mocking them because of their positions because that removes their focus to excel and even rise through the career ladder.

Civilization and how bosses handle success and failure

Civilization can also be reflected by the way bosses handle success and failure. The workplace should be organized in teams because everyone is working for the benefit of the company. Therefore managers should be accountable for their harmful actions leading to the downfall of their business. Civilisation demands that bosses do not take credit for the employee’s wins. When the staffs are not recognized for their actions, they end up shutting down and giving little contributions to the company. The author successfully uses rhetoric to have logos appeal to convince the audience that indeed one does not have to consume much time to show respect to another person. Instead, what matters is the attitude and the emotions used to convey a particular message. Indeed, non-verbal cues take little effort but yet communicate better than a message when it comes to respect at the workplace.

Rudeness shuts people’s thinking

An important argument that Porathjune makes is that rudeness shuts people’s thinking. Porathjune’s uses experiments conducted earlier to illustrate that people require motivation to be outstanding. The author refers to an experiment where the leader belittled the participants leading to a 335 reduction on their performance on anagram word puzzles. Moreover, the participants run out of ideas by about 39 per cent. In another study, a professor was rude to the participants leading to a reduced performance. Porathjune’s uses the illustrations to reveal that there is a positive correlation between the employee’s treatment and their productivity at work. The use of rhetoric also comes out when Porathjune asks why kindness is so rare at the workplace yet it makes people more productive. Porathjune notes that bosses are made to believe that they would lose their leadership appeal by being friendly to the colleagues. Porathjune however counters the argument by stating that there is a need to balance ability and personality. While companies desire to hire the best employees, they prefer one that can work well with the employees and still deliver the best.

Civility brings acceptance in the workplace

What I believe validates Porathjune’s argument is the different facts that she lays on this article. I agree to the fact that the medical world is also driven by human beings which desire to have a conducive environment. Based on my personal experiences, I concur with the author when she says that the doctor’s treatment is highly dependent on the administrative attitude, a message that illustrates logic. Porathjune’s uses ethos to appeal to the ethics that binds doctors. Indeed, in as much as the medical personnel are qualified to treat ailments, their productivity also depends on the management. Civilization does not; therefore discriminate the career because it touches on personality and emotions. The use of pathos in this article comes out strongly especially when she refers to an observation she made with a management professor, Amor Erez. In this observation, people are likely to miss information Porathjune’s notes that people are likely to miss information presented to them since they lack the capacity to handle it well.

Civilization starts with kindness

Indeed, being civil pays. The public how’ve needs to shut the notion of leadership and hostility. As Porathjune notes, people who are civil are considered to be warm and competent; a factor that fosters acceptance in the workplace. Civility starts from the subtle things that people do. Being kind is therefore an attribute that can be developed over time and everyone should be determined to lift others and not bring them down. Learning to switch off the phone during a conversation, maintain eye contact and make a strong handshake is also a gateway to acceptance. The leaders should also learn to smile often and thank the subordinate staff for every help extended at the workplace. Evidently, being nice does not have to take time but rather, a change of attitude.