Is Your Workplace Toxic?
Soren Kaplan
Bestselling Author & Speaker, Strategy & Innovation Consulting, Inc. Magazine, Praxie.com, Center for Effective Organizations at USC
How to Identify and Fix Toxic Workplaces and Organizational Cultures
(article original published in my Psychology Today column)
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KEY POINTS
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Imagine a department where the manager constantly belittles team members while taking credit for their ideas. Employees are afraid to speak up, leading to missed deadlines and low-quality results. Communication is poor, so people are consistently confused about expectations. Morale is low, and eventually, several talented employees leave for better opportunities. The manager blames everyone else for the department's problems, perpetuating a cycle of negativity.
It doesn’t matter if you’re working in a corporate office, small business, healthcare system, school, or nonprofit organization. Many people find themselves trapped in these types of toxic workplaces – draining work environments that erode morale, stifle productivity, and hurt performance.
A toxic work environment is a serious issue that can have lasting consequences for both individuals and organizations. According to research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), twenty-six percent of employees say they dread going into work. The same research found that 49 percent of all employees have considered leaving their current organization, while about one in five stated they left their job due to the negative culture. And according to research reported in MIT’s Sloan Management Review, “A toxic corporate culture, for example, is 10.4 times more powerful than compensation in predicting a company’s attrition rate compared with its industry.”
What Creates a Toxic Work Environment?
A toxic work environment can take many forms, like a constant lack of trust between employees and leaders, a culture where micromanagement stifles creativity, or even where unethical behavior goes unchecked. The worst cases of toxicity can involve discrimination, harassment, persistent passive-aggressive behavior, and bullying. These environments often result in a climate plagued by frustration, intimidation, and fear, diminishing employee morale and crippling productivity.
A toxic work environment can have a significant impact on an organization's performance, specifically:
Is Your Workplace Toxic?
If you’re wondering whether your own workplace might have the characteristics of a toxic environment, here's a simple checklist for assessing it:
These are just a few key indicators. If you find yourself checking three or more of these items, it's a sign that your workplace might be toxic.
How to Clean-Up a Toxic Work Environment
In organizations with thriving cultures, managers create safe spaces for open communication. Team members feel valued and comfortable sharing ideas. When a conflict arises, people address it head-on themselves, or proactively ask for their manager's support. Goals and results exceed expectations.
Fixing a toxic work environment usually requires a multi-pronged approach, but the effort is well worth it. Not only can your organization become a much better place to work, it can dramatically improve performance and results at the same time.
Here's how to shift your environment toward a more positive, innovative culture:
The negative impact of a toxic work environment is palpable. It cripples morale, stifles creativity, and drains the lifeblood out of an organization.
Here’s the good news: With proactive leadership and a commitment to fostering a positive culture, the toxicity of a culture can be reversed. Imagine a workplace where employees feel valued, empowered, and excited to contribute their best every day. That’s the power of a healthy work environment. It's not just about avoiding the negative; it's about unlocking the true potential of your greatest asset – your people.
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Soren Kaplan is the author of Experiential Intelligence , columnist for Inc. Magazine, co-founder of the AI-Powered Digital Transformation platform Praxie.com , and an affiliate at the Center for Effective Organizations at USC’s Marshall School of Business. Business Insider and the Thinkers50 have named him one of the world’s top management thought leaders and consultants. For press, media, and speaking inquiries, visit sorenkaplan.com
Award-winning author previously Financial Director
6 个月Unfortunately management doesn't always take your advice and they leave the toxic managers in place.
Associate Nurse Unit Manager
6 个月One of the hardest aspect to influence is the psychological well-being of team members. This is especially true in high stress environments like healthcare where our primary business is to make others well. Thanks Soren for your article. Have you looked at healtcare work settings in post pandemic period?
Personal Healthcare Provider/Manager
6 个月Great article Soren…thanks for sharing…I could easily think of a few former colleagues who should read this????????????