Tackling to the Roots

The academic environment, focused on high performance, fosters intense competition among professors, exacerbated by limited resources and a rigid hierarchy based on seniority, creating complex power dynamics. Professors, while enjoying great freedom, are both independent and interdependent, making the academic environment vulnerable to dysfunctions and interpersonal mistreatment.

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Despite existing laws and regulations, behaviors such as incivility and gender harassment remain normalized. Women and minorities are particularly vulnerable to these mistreatments, which include inappropriate remarks and hostile behaviors.

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Current interventions often fail to address the root causes of these issues, such as hostility and power dynamics. Researchers suggest promoting civility at work as a potential solution. Civility, defined as respectful and empathetic behaviors, can improve job satisfaction, performance, and reduce uncivil behaviors. However, more rigorous research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs in the academic context and their impact on different groups.

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Using a mixed-methods research design, the team will develop an intervention model based on workplace civility, taking into account the realities of academia.