A Toxic Workplace Culture is Bad for Business.

Have you ever worked with a boss that acts like a dictator? Such a boss has all the recipes required to create a toxic culture in any workplace. Such people shout down on their staff, embarrass others, and terminates the appointment of anyone that raises an objection. The result of such behavior is a toxic aura in the workplace; a place where the staff is scared and intimidated. A staff that has soaked in the toxic work culture will be willing to do anything, even immoral things, just to stay in the good books of the boss.

Such business owners do not realize that toxic culture in a workplace that is like a cancer virus. It gradually kills productivity and creativity in the workplace until it grinds the business to a halt. Do you expect a staff that knows his/her onions to continue to work in an environment that stifles productivity? Such staff will jump ships at the slightest provocation. How can a business thrive when all the top performers have been forced to quit out of frustration? That is why business leaders should take the time to address toxicity in the workplace. The work environment goes a long way in determining if the best staff will stay with your business or quit.

It’s a bad sign when the most passionate people in your business become indifferent.

But how do you know if your workplace is toxic?

Here are 10 pointers to a toxic workplace.

1.      The organization does not operate in tandem with its core values.

2.      People are afraid to share their opinion for fear of intimidation.

3.      Employees are made to work like robots with little or no autonomy.

4.      The management blames and punishes staff randomly and often.

5.      High employee turnover, sickness, and poor motivation.

6.      Overworking is often demanded but hardly rewarded.

7.      Employees are withdrawn from the management.

8.      Extensive gossiping and factions in the workplace.

9.      Office politics and favoritism are the order of the day.

10.  Bullying and intimidation in the workplace.

How do you solve the problem of toxicity in the workplace?

Although there are a lot of factors that work together to create a toxic workplace, it all boils down to poor leadership. If you take a closer look at such leaders, they do not trust their staff, lacks empathy and the term “appreciation” is missing from their dictionary. Such people do not show respects, and their integrity is questionable. So, fixing a toxic culture in the workplace should start from the leadership cadre of the organization.

The toxic culture in a workplace hurts the staff and the organization, as well. Every single year, unhappy and discontented employees cost their employers billions of dollars in loss of revenue, The first step is to identify the source of the toxic culture in the workplace. After that, create a plan to eradicate the toxicity. Your plan may require leadership training, redeploying, or firing the toxic boos if the needs arise. Get rid of the cancer cells before it kills the entire body.

Your employees can make or mar your business. It all depends on the way you treat them. If you create a great working environment for your business, your staff will be the greatest asset that drives your business. 

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