Understanding workplace incivility dynamics from the perspective of conflict mediators: a qualitative study

Background The research exploring workplace incivility has predominantly employed cross-sectional surveys, neglecting the dynamic aspect of the theory and failing to consider potential avenues for how the situation might be resolved. Objective To examine how uncivil interactions unfold over time, assess the impact of mediation on the resolution process, and evaluate how these interactions align with the complete theory of workplace incivility. Methods Descriptive phenomenology was used to analyze interviews with nine mediators (five women and four men) who explored the parties' experiences of incivility with each other and facilitated discussions with them to resolve their conflict. Findings A common structure emerged across the diverse situations described by mediators: personal norms shaped whether individuals attributed negative intentions and interpreted the other person's behavior negatively, which in turn triggered negative emotions and prompted a range of reactive responses (e.g., avoidance, confiding in others). During mediation, perspective taking played a key role in restoring trust, particularly when one party expressed vulnerability, which, in turn, facilitated reconciliation between the individuals involved. In contrast, in the two cases where individuals failed to engage in perspective taking reconciliation did not occur. Conclusion Future research should investigate the role of personal norms in shaping how individuals interpret others' behavior. Furthermore, additional investigations are needed to examine how perspective taking influences the progression of workplace incivility, using a dynamic lens to capture the complexity and evolving nature of these interactions.