Civility Partners

According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, nearly 70% of Americans view political discourse as a significant source of stress, and workplaces are no exception. In fact, SHRM reports that political and social tensions have driven workplace incivility to an all-time high this year. No wonder, the ripple effects of political divisiveness can mean conflicts, disengagement, and heightened stress levels—creating a chaotic environment that’s difficult to manage. Amid…

Do these comments resonate with you?  Owners don’t understand that we’re not just paperwork. HR is a punching bag expected to resolve everyone’s mess. There’s no HR budget, no support, and a team of 2 for 300+ employees. Even after a workforce survey, leadership still won’t listen to me!   It’s been 15 years of delivering webinars to an HR audience totalling hundreds of thousands of people. And I hear…

You already know that a strong culture leads to engaged employees, lower turnover, and a healthier bottom line, but convincing leadership? That’s a different story. It’s exhausting pushing for changes that are dismissed as “soft skills” or shot down because they don’t offer an immediate ROI. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. In fact, most attendees at our recent webinar, Getting Leadership to Listen to HR, showed up for one reason:…

Picture this: you’re actively working to foster a positive workplace culture, but managers and leaders are adopting a ‘hands-off’ approach. At first, it seems harmless, even convenient—but beneath the surface, it’s quietly wreaking havoc. Top talent? They’re slipping away unnoticed. And while you’re busy chasing other priorities, the very core of your organization is weakening—dragging down morale, productivity, and ultimately, organizational success.  A recent SHRM Culture Report reveals that three…

Election season tends to bring division and tension, and it’s hard to avoid. Even if you’ve reminded your team to steer clear of political conversations at work, it’s likely that the topic will still pop up here and there. The truth is, having employees with different views isn’t the problem. What makes things tricky is that both employees and leaders often struggle with how to discuss political or social issues…

Did you know that the World Health Organization (WHO) classified burnout as an occupational phenomenon? In other words, while leaders and HR tend to classify burnout as a personal failing, as evidenced in the way they tackle it with offerings of gym memberships and extended PTO, WHO says it’s a result of chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed. WHO begs the question, who is supposed to manage chronic…

In the past, recruiting was often a “spray and pray” approach—posting job openings everywhere and hoping the right candidate would find their way to us, even faxing over their resumes. Thankfully, recruiting today is far more strategic, thanks to the internet and advances in technology. To truly evaluate the success of your hiring efforts, you need to track key recruitment metrics. Let’s explore some of the most important ones.  …

According to Forbes, one in five workers is working remotely and 98% of workers want to work remotely at least some of the time. Yet, despite the flexibility that hybrid and remote work offer, engagement is a major challenge. In fact, the 2023 State of Remote Work report by Buffer found that 27% of remote workers struggle with loneliness, and 16% have difficulty staying motivated. That’s a stark reminder that…

Having an employee orientation program is a great start. It usually involves getting paperwork signed, introducing new hires around the office, and providing some initial training. But are you truly onboarding your employees? Effective onboarding is more than just a warm welcome—it’s about integrating new hires into your company’s culture and ensuring they become productive quickly. Here’s how you can measure and improve your onboarding effectiveness.   Why Onboarding Matters…

Workplace culture is an uphill battle when the budget is tight or, worse, nonexistent. You’re expected to create a thriving, engaged workforce, but the reality is harsh: Gallup reports that only 32% of U.S. employees are engaged at work. Meanwhile, disengaged employees are costing companies a staggering $450 to $550 billion each year in lost productivity, absenteeism, and turnover. The pressure is intense. The stakes are high. But here’s the…

This last Labor Day should have been a day of rest—a chance for employees to recharge and reflect on the contributions they’ve made to their organizations. But for many workers, the reality was likely far from relaxing. A 2023 Gallup survey shows that only 32% of U.S. employees feel engaged at work, and burnout is hitting record levels. The American Institute of Stress also reports that 83% of workers deal…

HR professionals often find themselves fighting an uphill battle to create a positive and safe workplace. Not to rub it in, but we thought we’d share a case study of what could be when the opposite occurs. Read on and see what happens when leadership listens to HR, as Rainbow Municipal Water District (RMWD) is a shining example of how HR can have a significant impact on workplace culture transformation…

Remote work is here to stay and has completely changed how we do our jobs. While offering the flexibility and convenience that many employees love, it also brings its challenges. One of the biggest could be employee disengagement.  Since this is a hot topic online, we thought we’d dive into it.  Gallup’s 2024 research report states that fully remote workers are more lonely than those fully on-site (25% versus 16%,…

You read our blog every week because you care about an inclusive work environment for all individuals at all levels. Either you consult in a similar space, or want to have an impact on your own workplace. For the past 15 years, Civility Partners has been on a mission to transform workplaces into environments where positivity and respect flourish. To that end, our dedicated team of facilitators, coaches, and consultants…

Consider that abrasive leaders, or workplace bullies, engage in aggressive behavior mainly because they’ve been allowed to by their own boss, even encouraged to through promotions, accolades and increased pay.  Their high value to the organization (e.g., sales, organizational knowledge, professional network) means leadership works around them or ignores their behavior for fear that addressing it may end poorly. That is, leadership is worried the leader will retaliate with even…

Research everywhere speaks volumes. It consistently highlights a significant shift: People care more about workplace culture than their salaries. So, why aren’t more companies prioritizing workplace culture?   The Disconnect: Why Culture Gets Overlooked Here are some common reasons: Many leaders prioritize immediate financial gains over long-term cultural investments, forgetting that a healthy culture drives sustainable success. Some leaders just don’t see how deeply culture affects employee engagement and productivity.…

Hiring the right person is essential, but a drawn-out hiring process can harm your organization more than you might realize. Missed opportunities, decreased productivity, and losing top candidates to competitors are just a few of the costly consequences. While being thorough in interviews is important, taking too long can be a major setback. If your organization is finding it difficult to fill positions or keeps losing great candidates to other…

Did you know that 76% of hiring managers admit that attracting the right job candidates is their greatest challenge? Why? Because many managers lack key skills needed for effective interviewing. Culture matters to employees, but it’s just as crucial for hiring. Keep in mind that you’re not alone in searching for the best people, and employees are equally on the lookout for the best workplaces. Keep the application process simple,…

Election season is here, bringing with it a flood of discussions, debates, and distractions. Add global tensions dominating the news, and it’s easy to see why employees might struggle to stay focused… especially if they have opposing views from their colleagues… and are discussing those opposing views at work.  Sounds like a recipe for disaster. Politics and global events spark polarizing views. They just do. And when those views are…

It’s halfway through the year, and for some companies, the fiscal year is wrapping up, leaving them with an unexpected budget surplus.  While it might be tempting to funnel these extra funds into new equipment or throw after-hours parties, there’s a more strategic opportunity at hand. Investing in initiatives that enhance workplace culture and address common workplace issues can yield long-term benefits.   Determining how to spend your budget As…

A significant barrier to achieving a diverse and inclusive workforce is implicit bias. Implicit bias occurs when, for instance, you hear the word “engineer” and immediately assume it is a man, or hear “teacher” and assume it is a woman. Have you ever been guilty of this? Many of us have, and it’s not because we’re bad people. Our brains are hardwired to make unconscious decisions, creating a direct link…

Yesterday, I came across research by Randstad and it really got me thinking about how much the workplace landscape is changing. This study included insights from 27,000 workers worldwide and what really caught my attention was that nearly half of the respondents—47%, to be exact—expressed a willingness to stick with a job they love, even if there’s no clear path for advancement. And 34% mentioned they have zero interest in…

Legal compliance serves as the bedrock of any organization. While it lays the foundation, a positive workplace culture breathes life into your organization. A strong, supportive culture fosters employee engagement, boosts morale, and enhances productivity.  This balance between compliance and culture was at the heart of our discussion on last week’s Catherine’s Corner, where we explored California Laws 2024 and Their Effect on Workplace Culture.  Catherine was joined by employment…

For the past 15 years, we have been dedicated to transforming toxic workplace cultures and fostering positive environments through executive coaching, corporate training, and large-scale culture change projects. We’ve serviced over 250 clients and their thousands of employees worldwide! We understand the daily struggles faced by employees in toxic environments, and our genuine care for their well-being drives our work. We are passionate about reducing the pain that thousands experience…

Is it appropriate to restrict employees from expressing their political views at work? On the one hand, you want people to feel free to express themselves. But then, you don’t want those water cooler chats to turn into full-blown political showdowns. According to a Gartner survey, around four out of five employees admit to having political discussions at work, but almost half of them find themselves getting distracted on the…

Finding and keeping great employees can be tough for companies all over. With changes in employee expectations, advancements in technology, and shifts in the job market, it’s a real challenge. In 2019, a whopping 42 million U.S. workers alone said “so long” to their jobs voluntarily. Yep, you read that right – 42 million! It’s a staggering number that highlights the magnitude of the challenge companies face in retaining their…

Workplace violence is a serious concern for organizations worldwide. While there are many reasons why it happens, one thing that doesn’t get enough attention is the company culture itself. How people act and treat each other at work can make violence more or less likely to happen. In 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there was a worker fatality approximately every 96 minutes due to work-related injuries.…

Surveys are a wonderful resource for measuring the success of culture change. Many clients approach us with the awareness of a cultural problem…but an inability to identify the cause. And that’s where we step in, often using survey scores as an identifier.  Let’s take “Client A” for example. Client A knew their culture needed adjusting, but didn’t know where the issue stemmed from. We sent out a survey, gathered responses,…

We’re talking a lot about making sure everyone feels included and respected in the workplace. But sometimes, it’s not the big, obvious stuff that makes people feel excluded and disrespected – it’s the little things. We have likely all experienced situations where someone’s words or actions felt unkind or disrespectful towards our identity. These subtle actions are referred to as “microaggression”.  They can target various aspects of who we are,…

Businesses that prioritize diversity in their workforce significantly increase the likelihood of fostering creative and innovative thinking among their employees by 150%. Also, companies with a lot of different ethnicities and races in their management team are 35% more likely to do better than average in their industry.  For a long time, people have understood that teams with diverse backgrounds work better together. How can you make sure your workplace…

The workforce is the heart of any thriving company. However, without proper training, employees may find themselves ill-equipped to meet the demands of their roles effectively.  Millennials think learning and growing are important reasons for joining a new company. Additionally, individuals from Generation X and subsequent generations require chances to enhance their skills and adapt to changes in technology and market trends.  Investing in employee training and development is key…

The United Nations Women found that about 1 in every 3 women has been sexually harassed at work. 3 out of 4 of them never report it to a manager, HR or anyone else. Imagine a world where every woman is treated with the respect and dignity she deserves. Unfortunately, our reality falls short of this ideal.  Instead, women face a multitude of challenges, ranging from verbal abuse to physical…

The reach of technology is astonishingly broad. It’s awesome how it brings us all closer, but when it’s not handled well, it can cause some serious problems too. From monitoring phone conversations to tracking someone’s every move through GPS, access to emails, texts, and even altering messages in transit, technology can be quite invasive. Moreover, technology can go as far as activating webcams on personal devices or turning on cell…

How many times have you cried in front of your team? How many times have you admitted to not having all the answers or feeling unsure about the direction ahead? In the traditional realm of leadership, these instances might have been considered taboo or signs of weakness. Leadership often conjures images of authority, strength, and unwavering confidence. However, things are changing. Vulnerability, previously avoided in leadership circles, is now being…

Your first day at a new job is a lot like embarking on an adventure. You step through the doors, eager and optimistic, your mind filled with expectations set by the promises of the company’s values and mission. For some, these principles are more than just words on a wall—they’re guiding lights, especially when one core value resonates deeply within.  But what happens when the reality within those walls seems…

Creating a positive workplace culture isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a key player in the success of any business. It goes beyond token gestures like wellness days and promotions; it’s fundamentally about how you treat your people, the support you extend to your team, and the pervasive culture that permeates your workplace. Now, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty. Have you ever pondered the true cost of your organization’s culture? Does…

How can you make your workplace more exciting and successful?  Organizational success is not solely dependent on strategies or cutting-edge technologies. Instead, the key driver of success lies within the organization itself—specifically, within the collective behaviors of its members.  When the term “toxic employee” is mentioned, thoughts often gravitate towards micromanaging, aggressive communication, threats, and more. However, research indicates that toxicity is more accurately attributed to specific behaviors than to…

Single parents face increased pressure as they balance full-time employment with the responsibility of caring for their children. This heightened pressure comes from various factors, such as economic challenges, limited support systems, and the need to provide for their families. The United States has one of the highest rates globally of children residing in single-parent households, with nearly one in four children, totaling approximately 22 million, living with a sole…

2024 marks an incredible milestone for us—our 15th-anniversary celebration! Yes, you read that right—15 years of making a positive impact on over 270 organizations served, thousands of employees, and millions of people worldwide! Thanks to the vision of our founder and CEO, Catherine Mattice. Our History Catherine started Civility Partners in 2009 with one mission – building a community of thriving individuals, starting at the place they spend the majority…

Employees quit their jobs for different reasons, and a major one is because of a toxic workplace environment. In fact, researchers discovered that between April and September 2021, toxic culture was the main reason why employees decided to leave their jobs. A toxic work culture refers to a situation where negative behaviors are tolerated within an organization. It can quietly harm employee happiness, stop new ideas from flourishing, and weaken…