Abstracts Category : Other

TRACKING THE INCIVILITY FOOTPRINT: AN EXPERIENCE-SAMPLINGSMARTPHONE APPLICATION MEASURING WORKPLACE INCIVILITY

by Catherine Mary Connolly

On an everyday basis, employees may be subjected tolow intensity negative behaviours from those they work with.Uncivil behaviours may cumulatively add up over time to havedetrimental effects on employees wellbeing and commitment to staywith their organisation. Since most of the research has beencross-sectional, capturing a snapshot in time, knowledge regardingthe day-to-day effects of experiencing workplace incivility islimited The broad aim of the present research was to develop a newdata collection tool in the form of a digital diary Smartphone app,to explore these day-to-day effects, measuring face-to-face andonline workplace incivility. Three studies were conducted todevelop and test the app. The first pilot study sought to test theproposed measures for use in the app. In particular, the commonlyused Workplace Incivility Scale (WIS) was adapted to apply toonline as well as face-to-face interactions. Statistical analysisof this pilot confirmed that both the face-to-face and onlineversions of the WIS were reliable and valid, and determined thatexperiencing workplace incivility via both modes was significantlyassociated with emotional exhaustion, and intentions to quit. Onthe basis of the first pilot, the app was developed and itsfeasibility tested in a second pilot focusing on the usability ofthe new app, which resulted in minor design changes beingimplemented prior to the final launch. The main research studysought to validate the new app and test a series of hypothesesabout the day-to-day effects of workplace incivility. Participantscompleted an initial web-based survey and were then instructed tocomplete the questions on the app for one month. Multilevelanalyses revealed that employees experienced higher levels ofemotional exhaustion, and intention to quit on days when they wereexposed to face-to-face or online incivility. The amount ofincivility that participants experience on a day-to-day basis(Level 1) predicts emotional exhaustion, and intention to quit on adaily basis, and the average amount of incivility (Level 2) thatparticipants experience also predicts their emotional exhaustion,and intention to quit when not considering other factors. Anger andfear were found to mediate the relationship between both forms ofincivility and intention to quit. For the rumination-mediatedmodels, the relationship between both forms of workplace incivilityand emotional exhaustion is significantly mediated by rumination.Theoretically, this research contributes by providing insight intoworkplace incivility and its effects on a daily basis.Methodologically, this research advances the field by providing anew reliable and valid repeated measures data collection tool thatother researchers may share to overcome and build upon thelimitations inherent in cross-sectional studies. Smartphone Application Software for Measurement ofthe Constructs (repeated measures).Advisors/Committee Members: Hoel, Helge.