How to Fix a Toxic Workplace Culture
Assessing your company culture? This article explores toxic workplace cultures - how to recognise them and the steps you can take to improve your company culture.
Table of contents
Signs of a toxic workplace
Why address a toxic workplace culture?
What causes a toxic workplace culture?
How to fix a toxic workplace culture
FAQs
What is a toxic workplace culture?
A toxic workplace culture is an unhealthy or dysfunctional working environment where negative behaviours like bullying, being disrespectful or having unreasonable expectations of workers are common.
Signs of a toxic workplace
A toxic workplace isn’t always easy to spot at first glance, but there are some common signs of a toxic workplace culture you can look out for.
Poor leadership
If a leader fails to provide adequate support to employees, or leads through fear rather than encouragement, this could be indicative of a toxic workplace culture.
Bullying and harassment
Bullying comes in many forms. In a toxic workplace, bullying could be perpetrated by leadership, or management could turn a blind eye to employees bullying other employees.
Read more: Bullying at work - examples and prevention
Conflicts and arguments
Occasional tensions between colleagues aren’t necessarily signs of a toxic workplace, as long as they are promptly resolved. However, routine or very heated arguments at work could be a sign that something is awry.
Lack of transparency/communication
In a toxic workplace, leadership teams often make decisions about the company’s future without involving employees. This could cause uncertainty among employees and make team members feel overwhelmed or stressed.
Read more: Communicating effectively with team members
High turnover
It’s normal for employees to move on as they progress in their careers and pursue other opportunities. But, if a company has a high churn rate, it could be a sign that workers are trying to escape from a toxic work environment.
Micromanagement
A boss with too much oversight over their team’s day to day tasks can be just as bad as a boss who fails to provide adequate support. People feel happier at work when they’re trusted by their leadership team and have a sense of agency.
Unrealistic expectations
Workloads that only a superhuman could complete, constantly moving goalposts, setting difficult tasks without providing the right support or training, or simply never being happy with a team’s performance can all be signs of a toxic work environment.
Why is it important to address a toxic workplace culture?
Nobody wants to work at a place where they’re unhappy - and hopefully, nobody wants to create an environment in which their employees are miserable.
Team happiness impacts team productivity. A recent study revealed that for every unit increase in an employee’s happiness on a scale of 1-10, team productivity went up by 12% (source: Management Science via Forbes).
With a direct link between productivity and profitability, if you’re not addressing a toxic workplace culture, you’re leaving money on the table.
What causes a toxic workplace culture?
Ultimately, the leader of the organisation sets the tone for the whole company. While they themselves may not necessarily exhibit obvious toxic behavioural traits, their inability to recognise or address the signs of a toxic workplace culture enables the culture to continue.
How to fix a toxic workplace culture
Leaders should take a proactive approach to team culture. Rather than only trying to avoid a toxic workplace culture, they should instead aim to promote a positive culture at work.
Here are some steps leaders can take to fix a broken team culture:
1. Establish clear values and expectations
Building a positive team culture means cementing your values into the organisation, and making sure everyone follows them.
2. Provide leadership training and support
Ensure your managers understand what good leadership looks like - and what negative traits to avoid.
3. Encourage open communication
Regularly ask for employees’ opinions, and make sure not only the loudest voices are heard. Learn more about the importance of employee feedback.
Read more: The best survey tools for HR
4. Celebrate employees’ achievements
Recognise when things are going right, and celebrate your employees’ successes. Make sure everyone receives the credit they deserve.
FAQs
What are the most common signs of a toxic workplace culture?
Poor leadership, micromanagement, high turnover, lack of communication, and ongoing conflict are all red flags that suggest a toxic work environment.
How does a toxic workplace culture affect recruitment and hiring?
Toxic cultures damage employer reputation, making it harder to attract top talent. Candidates often research company reviews and employee experiences - if the culture has a bad reputation, strong applicants will likely look elsewhere.
Can toxic culture be fixed, or is it better to start fresh?
In most cases, toxic culture can be addressed through committed leadership, clear values, open communication, and employee involvement.
Who is responsible for preventing a toxic workplace culture?
Leadership sets the tone, but creating and maintaining a healthy culture is a shared responsibility. Everyone in the organisation contributes to the environment through their actions and attitudes.
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