Managers who care about worker well-being help reduce incivility-related quitting: survey

Boston — Attentive managers can go a long way toward curbing employee turnover related to workplace incivility, results of a recent survey show.

Researchers from online stress management platform provider meQuilibrium surveyed nearly 5,500 workers. Around 1 out of 4 said they were at the receiving end of rude, disrespectful or aggressive behavior on the job. Most common: lack of attention to statements or opinions (26.1%), questioning judgment (24.2%), and being addressed unprofessionally (17.3%).

The workers in uncivil job environments reported increased levels of job worry, burnout and decreased motivation. This contributed to an 87% higher risk of quiet quitting and increased by five times the risk a worker seriously would consider leaving their job.

However, manager support for the team’s mental well-being was found to reduce worker turnover risk by as much as 78%. The workers who sensed support from management were 58% less likely to experience burnout, 56% less likely to have high stress levels related to work and 33% less likely to find difficulty getting motivated each morning.

“Effective managers who support team mental well-being dramatically improve retention and speed innovation by ensuring psychologically safe environments,” meQuilibrium CEO and co-founder Jan Bruce said in a press release. “Supportive managers also cut burnout risk, boost productivity and provide an important buffer against incivility.”