How does Workplace Incivility in the Public Higher Learning Institution in Saudi Influence the Job Satisfaction of the Faculty Employees?

Abstract

Scholars like Vickers have made an interesting observation that while the public administration scholars have put a keen interest in management rhetoric, they have ignored an equally significant area that also has weighty impacts on the public administration practitioners as well as the people they serve; workplace incivility. For this end, this paper examines the prevalence of workplace incivility in the Saudi Arabian public universities’ faculty as well as how does workplace incivility in the Saudi Arabian public universities’ faculties influence the job satisfaction of the faculty employees. The findings revealed that job satisfaction has a positive correlation with workplace incivility. The findings supported the hypothesis which postulated that workplace incivility among the Saudi faculty members could result in reduced job satisfaction. These findings have important policy implications. First, the management of public universities in Saudi Arabia should endeavor to create a healthy workplace climate by cultivating an organizational culture that is intolerant of uncivil practices, and where such practices are actively discouraged by all employees. Second, organizations can mitigate workplace incivility by enforcing a clear policy that defines workplace incivility. A zero-tolerance to incivility policy should be enacted, and efforts should be made to nurture a civil workplace culture through training, counseling, and punishment where necessary.