What is it about?
We tested whether repeated workplace incivility (“low-level disrespect”) makes people more stress-reactive over time. In a 4-week study of 314 employees (plus a lab subsample completing the Trier Social Stress Test), prior weeks of incivility predicted stronger psychological stress responses to later stressors—current incivility, workload/time pressure, and work hassles.
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Why is it important?
Incivility isn’t just unpleasant in the moment—it can create a ripple effect that heightens vulnerability to many everyday stressors. This suggests that preventing “minor” disrespect may reduce broader strain, and that strengthening coping resources (especially self-efficacy) could help buffer the longer-term impact.
Perspectives
Incivility is a psychosocial risk factor that can erode employees’ occupational self-efficacy and make routine demands feel more threatening. Because the effects showed up most clearly in psychological reactivity, organizations should treat respect norms and self-efficacy support as concrete prevention targets—through leadership behavior, team norms, and resource-building interventions.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Rigotti
Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR) and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Brittle Through the Ripple Effect of Disrespect? Stress Sensitization from Experienced Workplace Incivility, Journal of Business and Psychology, January 2026, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s10869-026-10099-y.
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