CNN's Van Jones: Businesses Need to Act on Workplace Civility

U.S. organizations collectively lose approximately $2 billion daily due to decreased productivity and absenteeism caused by uncivil behaviors, according to August 2024 data from the SHRM. Nearly 74 percent of U.S. workers report having personally experienced or witnessed acts of incivility in the past month. Every day, U.S. workers collectively face or witness 71 million instances of incivility at work.

The detrimental impact of incivility on productivity and organizational health is profound. According to SHRM's data, each incident results in an average productivity loss of 31 minutes. Over one-third of U.S. workers would willingly accept a pay cut (averaging 12 percent of their salary) to work in an environment free from incivility.

"Civility is not optional. Civility is key to civilization," says CNN host and Rapport co-founder Van Jones on a recent episode of SHRM's Tomorrowist podcast. Jones suggests that the pervasive atmosphere of political polarization and divisive rhetoric in society at large has seeped into the professional realm, leading to increased tensions and uncivil interactions among employees.

Jones readily acknowledges the role of legacy media outlets like CNN and Fox News in fostering a "hot culture" driven by sensationalism. "We're all chasing a smaller and smaller pie of people who even want to look at television," he explains. However, the situation has reached a critical point, he argues, because it's damaged our ability to see the bigger picture and work together to pursue common goals.

Jones advocates for leaders within organizations to champion civility, positing that workplaces may be one of the last environments where diverse groups come together regularly. By fostering a culture centered on empathy and understanding, executives can play a pivotal role in reversing the trend of incivility, ultimately enhancing both organizational success and societal cohesion.

Through his work with Rapport, Jones aims to harness technology to bolster emotional intelligence and facilitate better communication in digital and physical workspaces. His vision stresses the importance of "calling up" rather than "calling out" individuals, promoting a culture of mutual respect and shared values. Without that shared understanding, it will prove increasingly difficult for organizations to reach their full potential. "If you have civility at work, the country can work. If you don't have civility at work, the country won't work," Jones says.

Watch Jones' full comments on Tomorrowist:

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