When Rude Coworkers Create Distance: How Self-Pity Deepens Feelings of Isolation at Work

What is it about?

This study investigates how coworker incivility—rude or disrespectful behavior from colleagues—can erode employees’ job performance by shaping how they view their relationship with their organization. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the authors propose that exposure to incivility drains emotional resources and fosters a sense of organizational isolation, in which employees believe their employer has abandoned or ignored them. This perceived isolation, in turn, reduces motivation and engagement, ultimately harming performance. Using three-wave survey data collected from employees and their supervisors in Pakistan, the study finds that organizational isolation mediates the negative relationship between coworker incivility and job performance. Employees who experience disrespect at work tend to interpret it as a broader failure of organizational support. Moreover, the effect of isolation is especially strong among employees prone to self-pity—those who focus on their misfortunes and view themselves as victims. Such tendencies amplify emotional exhaustion and make it more difficult to maintain productive work behavior. The findings have practical value for managers and HR professionals seeking to curb the performance costs of workplace incivility. Organizations should cultivate supportive communication channels and promote coping skills that reduce self-pity and victimization. Encouraging constructive self-reflection and peer respect can help prevent interpersonal mistreatment from escalating into organizational disengagement and poor performance.

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Photo by Charles Ley Baldemor on Unsplash

Photo by Charles Ley Baldemor on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research is unique in demonstrating that perceived organizational isolation—rather than just interpersonal conflict—explains why coworker incivility undermines performance. It also identifies self-pity as a novel boundary condition that intensifies the negative emotional consequences of disrespectful treatment. Conducted in Pakistan, a context where collectivist values and workplace harmony are highly emphasized, the study is timely in illustrating how emotional and cognitive responses to incivility can damage employee productivity. It emphasizes that organizations can foster resilience by addressing not only the behaviors that cause incivility but also the psychological interpretations that make such experiences particularly harmful.