Understanding Cyber Hostility, Gossip, Exclusion, and Social Support in Remote and Hybrid Work Settings: Benefits and Challenges of Remote Work

Workplace incivility—low-intensity deviant behavior that violates norms of mutual respect—harms workers, though social support can alleviate this. Both incivility and support-seeking are shaped by the communication environment, which has been profoundly altered by remote and hybrid work, yet the outcomes of these changes are not well understood. Using surveys and interviews, we investigated USA remote and hybrid workers’ experiences with three types of cyber incivility (hostility, gossip, and exclusion), and follow-up support. We found cyber incivility experiences are more common among workers who spend more time at the office, and among women than men. We also discover that digital communication tools reduce some harms but exacerbate others, and that support-seeking is effective but harder to access remotely. Based on these findings, we propose implications for digital communication tools and policies to reduce cyber incivility and improve support access, fostering a more respectful and supportive remote work environment.