Thought Leadership Paper from the Security Executive Council Reveals Rise in Incivility, Rule-breaking, and Threatening Behaviors

September 23, 2025 – A new thought leadership paper from the Security Executive Council (SEC) reveals a sharp rise in incivility, rule-breaking, and threatening behaviors across the United States. Drawing from leading research, the paper reveals that these trends are costing businesses billions in lost productivity and undermining workplace safety, morale, and trust.

Titled Beyond Incivility: The Soaring Business Cost of America’s Deteriorating Civility, the paper compiles data from trade associations, national databases, government agencies, universities, and media organizations. It serves as both an analytical exploration and a practical guide.

“Although we're not pinpointing specific causes, we recognize that these behavioral changes likely arise from a complex blend of societal, economic, and cultural forces. It's up to each individual or organization to reflect on what these shifts might mean for them—and decide how they want to respond,” said Bob Hayes, Managing Director of the SEC.

For the SEC’s core audience—corporate security practitioners in the private sector—we suggest using the paper’s findings to strengthen organizational resilience. Recommended actions include:

• Convening security department meetings to discuss the findings and their implications
• Raising awareness and fostering alignment around potential organizational impacts
• Updating employee and supplier codes of conduct
• Enhancing internal and external social media policies
• Revising threat assessment criteria to include emerging behavioral indicators
• Reviewing early intervention strategies and support resources
• Gauging employee perceptions of safety and civility through surveys or listening sessions

The full report can be downloaded from the SEC website.

About the Security Executive Council The Security Executive Council is the leading research and advisory firm focused on corporate security risk mitigation strategies and plans. We work with security leaders to transform security programs into more capable and valued centers of excellence. Watch our two-minute video for a quick overview or visit us at www.securityexecutivecouncil.com.

Media Contact: Kathleen Kotwica
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