When respect deteriorates: incivility as a moderator of the stressor-strain relationship among hospital workers

Abstract

Aim: To test whether incivility at work exacerbates the relationship between stressors and strain for hospital workers.

Background: A climate of incivility and disrespect among colleagues was expected to heighten the impact of work stressors on the mental and physical health of care providers.

Methods: Members of 17 care-providing units from five hospital systems in Canada completed surveys, before and after a civility intervention (eight intervention vs. nine comparison units). Analyses tested whether (1) incivility moderated the stressor-strain relationship at baseline (n=478), and (2) the stressor-strain relationship decreased for the intervention units relative to comparison units 6 months later (n=361).

Results: (1) Pre-intervention, individuals reporting more incivility on their unit showed a stronger stressor-strain relationship. (2) The negative relationship between work overload and mental health was mitigated among intervention group staff 6 months after the introduction of a colleague-based civility programme.

Conclusions: Besides being a stressor itself, incivility exacerbates the relationship between existing job role stressors and strain among health care workers.

Implications for nursing management: Colleague civility and respect have an important ripple effect of buffering inevitable work stressors, helping health care providers respond to stress with greater health and resiliency.