Incivility in the workplace is unfortunately becoming more commonplace. In many cases, these incivilities, also known as microaggressions, may not be intended to harm or offend others, but they can cause hurt for individuals, disrupt business operations, and damage company culture.

We want to help you understand a little bit more about workplace incivilities and how do deal with them, including educating your employees to be mindful of how their words and actions can sometimes be harmful to marginalised groups. 

Examples of workplace incivilities

Here are some examples of workplace incivilities. Many of these do not necessarily harbour ill-intent but they can be perceived by others as hurtful or derogatory. 

Political Differences

• Employees making dismissive comments about others’ political views during lunch breaks
• Exclusion from team activities based on perceived political affiliation
• Sharing politically divisive content in work messaging platforms
• Eye-rolling or visible contempt when certain political topics arise
• Refusing to collaborate with colleagues of opposing political views

Social Issues

• Microaggressions toward colleagues from different cultural backgrounds
• Dismissing concerns about diversity and inclusion initiatives as “unnecessary”
• Inappropriate jokes about social movements like Black Lives Matter or #MeToo
• Resistance to using preferred pronouns for transgender or non-binary colleagues
• Creating separate social groups based on views on social issues

Generational Gaps

• Older employees making condescending remarks about younger workers’ work ethic
• Younger employees dismissing senior colleagues’ input as “outdated”
• Friction over flexible work arrangements (with younger employees typically favouring flexibility)
• Conflicting communication preferences (text vs. phone calls vs. in-person)
• Different expectations around work-life boundaries and availability
• Generational stereotyping (“lazy millennials” or “out-of-touch boomers”)

Ciphr’s new (2025) research has found that over two fifths (45%) of UK adults say they have experienced some form of workplace discrimination — either in the workplace (38%) or when applying for new jobs (39%) or both. 

This statistic comes as no surprise given the heated political debates exploding across social media, ongoing conversations about social justice and multiple generations trying to work together (often with very different ideas about how things should be done).  

For business owners and HR professionals addressing these issues isn’t just about keeping your culture intact, it’s also about safeguarding productivity, retaining your people and ultimately ensuring that your employer brand isn’t affected. 

The causes of workplace incivility

There are many reasons behind incivilities or microaggressions. They can stem from personal biases that people often aren’t consciously aware they have. We are all exposed to diverse perspectives outside of work whether it be through social media, the news, or among our peers – and these viewpoints can leak into the workplace, intentionally or not.

Another possible cause – and one which employers CAN control – is a lack of diversity training within the organisation. This results in missed opportunities to build cultural awareness and create inclusive environments where all employees feel valued and where having difficult conversations become second nature. 

Warning signs to watch out for

While we can’t always control what people say or do at work – or indeed – how people are going to react, there are some ‘red flags’ and warning signs to watch out for that might lead to micro-aggressive behaviour.  

These include: 

Look out for employees who are stressed and burnt out

These individuals may have a reduced capacity for patience and understanding, and may be looking to offload their stress in unconstructive ways to their colleagues.  Find ways to reach out to these individuals and see how you can offset some of their workload and support them. 

Shifting workplace dynamics

Some individuals may be resistant to change. It might be moving someone’s desk, a change in policy or team restructure – even the slightest thing can cause some people to react defensively and be more sensitive to certain comments. 

Lack of empathy

Some people find it difficult to see situations from another person’s perspective. Helping your employees develop greater self-awareness can help improve team dynamics and collaboration.  This can be done through inclusivity training as well as 1:1 mentoring. 

Dealing with incivility cases

Having clear policies and procedures that clearly define what constitutes incivility, bullying, and harassment with specific examples is essential. They should also include formal processes for employees to raise concerns or make complaints and what the disciplinary procedures might follow. 

Beyond this, inclusivity and diversity training for everyone – regardless of their seniority – should be considered.  Leaders and managers should also be trained to spot and address incivility before it becomes an issue in their team. 

Understanding and addressing workplace incivility is not only a legal obligation but also something that’s going to improve and maintain your company culture. Successful businesses will address this head on and build cultures where difficult conversations happen respectfully.  Because when workplace incivility is managed effectively, everyone benefits; you have more productive teams, happier people, better collaboration and a stronger employer brand as a result. If you need help with any issue raised in this article around tackling workplace incivilities, please contact our team for support.