How to recognize a toxic workplace and transform it into a collaborative environment

The expression "toxic workplace" is often used to describe a work environment characterized by frequent personal conflicts among its employees, often leading to a decrease in productivity and mental and physical well-being.

As an external observer in such an environment, you would notice behaviors like hostility, bullying, discrimination and employees feeling belittled, unsupported and even threatened.?

In this article we are going to explore relevant characteristics of a toxic workplace and consider solutions for addressing it.

FOUR SIGNS OF A TOXIC WORKPLACE

According to a study (Gilbert, Carr-Ruffino, Ivancevich, & Konopaske, R. 2012) published by the International Journal of Leadership Studies, there are certain behaviors that are linked to a toxic workplace.? Here, we take a look at four of these behaviors:

1 Prioritizing personal agendas

Prioritizing personal agendas in the workplace means that employers and employees alike show the tendency of placing their own personal interests or goals over those of the company or team.

This may involve pursuing personal gains, such as power, money, fame or special status and using unethical means to achieve these goals. ?

A common example of prioritizing personal agendas is when a leader is more interested in achieving personal recognition than in supporting the growth and development of his/her team by working collaboratively.

This can include taking credit for the team’s work, failing to acknowledge the contribution of team members or using their work to further his/her own career goals without providing appropriate recognition or compensation.?

In such a scenario, we can easily understand how team members can feel undervalued, demotivated and even resentful towards their boss or team leader.?When they realize that their leader’s self-centered behavior is hindering their professional growth, they are likely to become disengaged and adopt an attitude that adversely affects their productivity.

Behaviors that prioritize personal agendas and contribute to a toxic work environment can also include pursuing short-term financial gains at the expense of long term growth and engaging in unethical practices like ignoring safety concerns or falsifying data, to mention a few.

?At the core of these behaviors lies a self-centered approach where the individual, be it the leader, the supervisor or the team member, prioritizes personal gratification over creating a team that collaborates towards a shared goal, purpose and mission.

2 Aggressive or domineering leadership styles

Due to the high level of pressure that comes with their roles – demanding deadlines to meet, strict performance targets, being able to respond appropriately and timely to employees’ diverse needs and personalities – leaders may feel that they have to adopt an aggressive or domineering style to assert their authority.?

This style can be characterized by outbursts or angry reactions when employees don’t meet the leader’s expectations and challenge his or her decisions.

A classic scenario is when a manager becomes visibly upset when a team member questions his or her decisions.?The manager may criticize or belittle the employee in front of others and, as a result, the employee may feel embarrassed and demotivated.?

A manager may also react similarly if an employee fails to meet a deadline or produces work that does not meet their high standards, even if the employee has a valid reason for the outcome. ?

It is important to note that organizations that support a domineering leadership style are often the product of a system that values short term results over long term sustainability.?For example, if a company is under intense pressure to achieve financial targets, it may be tempted to adopt a top-down approach that prioritizes speed of implementation over collaboration and employee engagement.

3 Favoritism and absence of meritocracy

Giving preferential treatments based on factors that are unrelated to job performance, such as personal relationships and nepotism leads to favoritism in the workplace.

The ways favoritism manifest itself can vary.?For instance, providing career advancement opportunities to certain employees over others based on factors other than job performance is one way.?

Treating some team members with more respect and attention than others and overlooking performance or behavioral issues while disciplining or reprimanding others for similar issues is another.

In an ideal workplace, all employees should have equal opportunities to undertake challenging projects and assume greater responsibility.?However, when favoritism comes into play, certain employees may repeatedly gain an unfair advantage and access these opportunities, leaving their colleagues with less appealing tasks.?

Additionally, they may be assigned easier or more stimulating projects, while their peers are left to tackle less interesting tasks.

?A common example of favoritism is when a leader takes side with the most outgoing employees, or those he/she is friendly with and unintentionally discourages more timid or quiet employees from voicing their opinions.?This attitude can lead to a decrease in collaboration and can generate negative emotions among team members who are denied similar opportunities, resulting in missed chances for growth and development.

After all, when a company fails to recognize the value of individual contribution, engagement, collaboration and performance, it can lead to resentment, mistrust and conflict among employees.

4 Treating employees as a financial liability

It can be as simple as failing to recognize their contribution or withholding praise, but it can also be more insidious, such as cutting employees benefits or not compensating them for the additional hours worked.

A common example of how a company may treat its employees as a financial liability is communicating the need to reduce expenses in order to stay afloat, without providing a clear plan or vision for how it will overcome its financial difficulties and retain its staff.?

This can lead to employees feeling undervalued and unappreciated in the long term, despite their additional responsibilities during times of financial strains.

If a company takes advantage of its employees when they are at their weakest by cutting their benefits or getting rid of them, it is likely that the remaining employees won’t be motivated to go beyond their call of duty to support the organization.

Another example is failing to provide support and resources during times of organizational change.?For instance, if the company undergoes a merger or acquisition, or experiences a shift in strategy or an unexpected event, employees may be faced with increased workloads and pressure.

As organizational change can be a challenging time for employees, who may feel uncertain about their job security or the future of the company, effective communication is crucial during these periods.?By providing regular updates on what is happening and on what the changes mean for employees, the company can help its people navigate the transition more easily.

Overall, it is vital that organizations take a proactive stance in looking after their people as human beings. ??The support can include access to counselling or other mental health resources, as well as support in managing workloads or navigating changes in job responsibilities.

After all, these initiatives help to create stronger, more engaged, and more resilient teams.

HOW TO PREVENT THE CREATION OF A TOXIC WORKPLACE

Irrespective of whether an organization is aware of fostering a toxic workplace, the question remains: how can one prevent the creation of a toxic work environment in the first place?

The four behaviors mentioned above, are driven by a focus on personal advancement and power, rather than a focus on team work where every contribution is valued and supported.

Studies suggest that organizations should consciously strive to create a culture centered on a community-oriented approach to work, which places human connection and collaboration at the forefront, leading to increased employee engagement, performance and well-being.

In practical terms, this means that in organizations where collaboration is valued, employees are surrounded by a network of supportive individuals, including leaders, managers and team members who work within a fair and equitable policy environment.?

These organizations are known for creating a welcoming, nurturing, caring and supportive work environment, which stands in sharp contrast to toxic work environments.

When employees work together toward a common goal, and are supported by leaders who seek to promote their strengths by providing constructive feedback and nurturing equal and collaborative relationships, there is a noticeable increase in employee morale.

The key to creating a culture of human connection and collaboration is having leaders who model selfless, thoughtful, and generous behaviors when it comes to interpersonal relationships in the workplace.?This is because leaders set the emotional tone for the organization.

Organizations are now encouraged to train their leaders and managers to operate as facilitators and coaches and, when needed, adopt a servant leadership style.?

Leaders who act as coaches invest their time and energy in developing their team members, striking a balance between guiding and giving autonomy.?However, it takes a conscious effort to train leaders and it requires investing in leadership development programs across the entire organization.?

When you and your organization want to explore leadership coaching in more depth, I invite you to a confidential consultation with me. Use the link below:

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References

Gilbert, J. A., Carr-Ruffino, N., Ivancevich, J. M., & Konopaske, R. (2012). Toxic versus cooperative behaviors at work: the role of organizational culture and leadership in creating community-centered organizations.?International Journal of Leadership Studies,?7(1), 29-47