A new paper published in the American Journal of Roentgenology touches on the often tender topic of incivility, especially among radiologists, who are especially prone to the disapproving descriptor.
Authors of the paper shared that prior studies have indicated nearly 60% of radiology faculty have reported incivility as an issue in the workplace. Described as “negative nonverbal behaviors, inappropriate speech, passive aggressive behaviors, forms of sexual harassment and bullying,” incivility can be detrimental to workplace morale and exacerbate burnout [1]. And if the effects of such negativity spill over to the level of patients, it is no longer just the staff that gets burned, but the patients and institutions as well, the experts suggested.
“Far too often and for too long, healthcare has tolerated a culture (or subcultures) of destructive interactions despite evidence of the far -reaching damage to employee wellbeing, productivity, organizational performance, and patient care,” corresponding author Amy Young, PhD, with the Department of Radiology at the University of Michigan, and colleagues wrote.
While the authors acknowledged how problematic incivility can be in the workplace, they also offered plenty of supporting evidence as to why radiologists in particular are more susceptible to it, citing unreasonably high workloads, staffing shortages and reimbursement cuts, just to name a few.
With staffing shortages expected to increase in the coming years, the authors put out a call to action for addressing the issue at hand, starting first with the industry’s leaders.
“Addressing workplace incivility and bullying is one of the least desirable tasks that comes with leadership roles,” the authors wrote. “Most challenging is when high performers are the ones who are bullying, belittling or harassing their co-workers.”
The paper included the following advice for leadership tasked with maintaining a healthy and supportive working environment for all faculty:
Consider whether structural factors—reward systems, performance metrics, policies, workflows, etc.—play any role in fostering a less than optimistic environment and recalibrate if necessary.
Establish expectations and values, stick to them and practice what you preach. This includes practicing self-awareness and transparency and exhibiting genuine consideration for the opinions of others. By doing this, leaders “model behavioral expectations, such as to be willing to acknowledge and apologize when they inadvertently make transgressions.”
Address instances of incivility head-on and without hesitation, ideally the first time it is brought to attention. The authors suggest that this precedent can prevent patterns from forming before it’s too late, and often just with a simple conversation. However, in the worst cases, a single discussion is not likely to prompt effective change and additional steps, such as coaching and/or counseling, might be necessary. Although difficult, the authors maintain that these steps “represent pinnacle moments when employees decide whether a leader is serious about changing the culture.”
The authors added that, although departmental leaders are in the driver’s seat, staff should also feel supported and empowered to speak up.
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She joined Innovate Healthcare in 2021 and has since put her unique expertise to use in her editorial role with Health Imaging.