Use AI to build civility. SHRM reports that 66% of U.S. employees have experienced or witnessed incivility at work. And those moments of disrespect don’t stay isolated. They ripple. Research from Christine Porath at Georgetown University shows that incivility is contagious, dragging down performance, stifling creativity, and eroding collaboration.
Meanwhile, HR teams are stretched thinner than ever. Gartner’s 2024 HR Priorities survey discusses the expanding scope of HR work and the challenges faced by HR leaders, indicating increased demands and responsibilities.
So here’s the paradox:
- HR knows civility is critical.
- But they don’t have the time to strategically build it into the culture.
- And when things spiral into conflict, bullying, or burnout, they’re expected to clean up the mess.
That’s where AI comes in. Not to replace your empathy or expertise, but to amplify it. The right AI tools can spot early warning signs, scale what works, and give you the breathing room to be strategic instead of reactive.
Use AI to Build Civility at Work
Let’s explore a few ways AI can support you in creating a more respectful, civil workplace.
Spot Sentiment Shifts Before They Blow Up
HR often only hears about problems after they’ve festered into conflict or turnover. Sentiment analysis and natural language processing (NLP) tools can scan large volumes of qualitative data like survey comments, exit interviews, or anonymous feedback to detect shifts in tone or frequent use of negative words.
This means you get a heads-up before things spiral and can take action proactively.
Automate Training Follow-Ups
You’ve rolled out the unconscious bias training. You’ve hosted sessions on respectful communication. But then… silence.
Let AI handle the check-ins.
Platforms can automatically send reflection prompts, personalized microlearnings, or nudges based on quiz scores or behavior trends. No more one-and-done workshops. Just continuous, consistent reinforcement without adding more to your plate. In fact, we’re working on building some microlearning sessions for this very purpose.
Use Chatbots to Give Employees a Safe Place to Speak Up
Let’s be real. Employees don’t always feel safe reporting incivility, especially when it involves senior leaders or influential team members.
AI-powered chatbots offer a low-pressure, always-available outlet for employees to speak up. These tools can anonymize input, track patterns, and flag repeated issues like bullying or exclusionary behavior. You get actionable insights without putting employees in the hot seat.
You might also encourage your employees to use AI to practice having a crucial conversation. They might enter a prompt and ask AI to act in ways that emulate the individual they want to talk to, for example, and then practice having the conversation.
Personalize Development Plans with AI Insights
AI tools can analyze performance reviews, 360 feedback, and culture assessment data to recommend leadership development plans. That means you can zero in on abrasive behavior patterns and offer coaching instead of consequences.
And when you’re ready to coach those leaders, we’re here to help you turn things around with real strategies that rebuild trust.
Incivility Is a Human Problem So You Still Need Humans
AI is a tool. A powerful one. But it’s not a cure-all.
If you’re serious about creating a civil, respectful workplace, combine AI with a human-centered strategy. Use the data. Free up your time. Then invest in what really moves the needle – building trust, coaching leaders, and fostering accountability.
That’s where we come in. We offer comprehensive solutions to help organizations cultivate respectful and inclusive workplace cultures:
Our in-depth and customized climate assessments uncover what’s really happening under the surface so you know where to focus your efforts. We’ll help you gather employee feedback and use AI to analyze sentiment. From there we deliver actionable insights – developed by our consultants, not AI – that become the foundation for change.
Let’s turn chaos into culture and give your people the workplace they deserve.
