
New SHRM Data Reveals a Workplace Civility Crisis & Why Compliance Training Is Key to Rebuilding Respect
1 in 4 workers feel disrespected at work. Here’s how your organization can reverse that trend.
The results are in—and they’re alarming.
According to SHRM’s new Q1 2025 Workplace Civility Index, 26% of U.S. workers report being treated with incivility or disrespect in the past month. Even more troubling, 42% say they’re burned out, and nearly 1 in 3 (30%) have experienced rudeness from a colleague or manager.
The bottom line? Workplace incivility is common.

Incivility Is a Compliance and Culture Risk
While many leaders still think of rudeness as a “soft” issue, SHRM’s data underscores just how deeply this pervasive issue affects performance and risk:
- 70% of employees say civility is essential to their job satisfaction.
- 2 in 5 workers say incivility contributes to burnout.
- 49% say a respectful workplace would make them more engaged.
These aren’t minor morale issues — they are warning signs of a workplace culture at risk. Disrespect opens the door to more serious forms of misconduct, from harassment to retaliation and beyond.
And the impact isn’t just cultural. According to SHRM, businesses are losing over $1.3 billion per day in reduced productivity (based on the average hourly pay rate), and another $817 million per day from absenteeism, all due to workplace incivility. This steady drain on time, money, and resources drives turnover, lowers productivity, and damages your bottom line , even as—and perhaps especially because—external pressures and contexts shift.
Civility Training Helps Build Trust and Retain Talent
In SHRM’s survey, 42% of workers said they don’t feel they can express opinions without retaliation. That’s a trust breakdown, and it directly impacts psychological safety and retention. That’s where effective training comes in. Civility training not only addresses behavior and legal requirements, it also equips teams with the tools to foster open communication, respect differences, and rebuild trust from the ground up.

Compliance Training Isn’t Just About Mandates. It’s Culture-Shaping.
Compliance training, when done right, goes far beyond meeting mandates—it actively shapes the culture of a workplace.
Well-Designed Training:
- Clarifies what respectful behavior looks like, especially in gray areas like tone, language, and digital communication.
- Equips managers to address incivility early, before it escalates into legal or reputational risk.
- Builds shared responsibility for workplace culture, not just individual conduct.
The Bottom Line: Civility Pays Off
As SHRM’s Index makes clear, civility isn’t just “nice to have.” It’s foundational to performance, compliance, and retention. Training is one of the most effective tools organizations have to reset expectations, boost morale, and reduce risk.
More Than a Mandate: Elevate Your Workplace with Civility & Respect
At SHIFT HR Compliance Training, we help organizations go beyond meeting compliance mandates. Effective training doesn’t just define unlawful behavior. It reinforces a shared standard of professionalism, empathy, and accountability.
Our Fostering Trust Through Civility & Respect course helps close that gap. Through relatable scenarios and industry-relevant examples, we support organizations in setting clear expectations, empowering bystanders, and fostering trust.
Ready to strengthen your culture? Contact us to learn more about SHIFT’s customizable civility and compliance training programs.