CUSTOMER INCIVILITY AND EMPLOYEES' UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SURFACE ACTING – AN ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY DATA

Abstract

Incivility, harassment, and savagery in the workplace are significant issues in healthcare. Incivility can negatively affect both healthcare professionals and patient care. This study investigates the impact of customer incivility on employee unethical behaviour in private healthcare in Pakistan, with surface acting as a mediator. Unlike previous research on workplace incivility caused by colleagues or supervisors, this study focuses on customer incivility in a developing country. Data was collected from 384 healthcare professionals in Lahore, with 339  usable responses. Statistical tools like descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, reliability analysis, and regression analysis were used. Results indicate that customer incivility leads to unethical behaviour, with surface acting partially mediating this relationship. The findings will help policymakers in the private healthcare sector address customer incivility and its impact on employee behaviour.