When Co-Worker Incivility Undermines Performance: The Protective Power of Psychological Capital

What is it about?

This study investigates how co-worker incivility—subtle disrespect, rudeness, or disregard among colleagues—reduces employees’ job performance, including both their in-role and extra-role efforts. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the authors propose that incivility drains employees’ mental and emotional energy, prompting them to psychologically detach from work as a self-protective response. This withdrawal, while adaptive in the short term, ultimately hinders task completion and cooperative behavior. Using three-wave, time-lagged survey data from employees and supervisors in Pakistan, the study finds that psychological detachment mediates the link between coworker incivility and job performance. Employees who feel disrespected by peers mentally distance themselves from work, reducing engagement and productivity. However, this effect is weaker among employees with high psychological capital—self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience—which helps them stay focused and recover from interpersonal strain. These findings emphasize that even seemingly minor incivility can erode motivation and cooperation if left unaddressed. Organizations can counter this by cultivating respectful workplace norms and investing in training programs that build psychological capital, enabling employees to remain engaged and perform effectively despite occasional social frictions.

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Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research is unique in identifying psychological detachment as the key mechanism through which co-worker incivility diminishes both core and discretionary performance, while highlighting psychological capital as a crucial buffer. By linking social mistreatment to withdrawal and resilience processes, it deepens understanding of how interpersonal stressors deplete and restore employee resources. Conducted in Pakistan, the study is particularly timely given growing concerns about workplace civility in fast-paced, high-pressure environments. It offers practical insights for organizations aiming to sustain performance and well-being, showing that empowering employees with optimism, confidence, and resilience can transform negative social climates into opportunities for personal and collective growth.