Recognizing a Toxic Workplace Culture and How to Make It Better
Introduction
Workplace culture has nothing to do with casual Fridays or
team building events. What it means is that how the employees feel, perform and
tend to grow up are defined at this company. Good intentions don’t always
result in the best outcome however, and sometimes even good intentions turn
into toxic cultures that shut down morale and begin to push people out the door
(Rofcanin & Anand, 2020). Human resource concern currently includes a toxic
work environment. In this article, we’ll discuss what signs of a toxic workplace,
why they exist, and find ways to help correct them and get back to a healthier
culture.
What Makes a Workplace Toxic?
Signs of toxicity can vary, but here are some common ones:
burnout, high turnover, poor communication and people who just disengage from
their work. This all may be sounding down to employees if their issues are
happening (Kelloway et al., 2021). Thinking about this brings Social Exchange
Theory to mind, and explains that if people do not feel that effort isn’t being
recognized, they disengage (Cropanzano & Mitchell, 2005). In 2017 Uber’s
cultural issues made headlines disclosing that a toxic culture can impact
employee morale and tarnish a company’s reputation.
Where Toxicity Comes From
There are a number of things that can create a toxic
workplace culture. It might be because poor leadership, unclear expectations,
or the competitive environment versus collaborative. Katz & Kahn (1978)
maintain that according to Role Theory, employees become frustrated and
stressed under the circumstance that they do not know their roles or perceive
that they are being pulled in conflicting directions. While no pressure is good
pressure, some is good pressure but too much can be overdoing it and burn
people out.
Does Competition Drive Productivity?
According to some, a competitive, high stress environment spurs people into better performance, in sectors such as finance to technology. But this can have a downside. Herzberg’s (1959) Two Factor Theory suggests that people need not just a challenging work but also positive factors such as recognition and work and life balance. Long term; if employees are constantly stressed but no recognition or time to recharge then their morale and productivity will suffer. Competition can be a great motivator, but too much of it is very bad for you.
Steps to a Positive Culture
Fortunately, leadership is something that can be corrected.
The support and listening to a team build us a healthier culture. Transformational Leadership asserts that to effect positive cultural change
requires the type of inspiring leader (Bass, 1985). Google and Zappos have been
specifically known to be companies that prioritize employee well being and help
create positive and inclusive cultures. The supportive works are those
(Google’s work life balance approach, Zappos’ concentration on employee
happiness) too, for example.
Toxic Culture Across Industries
Each industry has its own struggles when trying to maintain
a good culture. For example, both healthcare and finance are often high stress
environments and academic types are often drawn to jobs in these areas. The
culture report for Amazon published in 2015 also showed that even highly
successful companies can have culture problems (Kantor & Streitfeld, 2015).
Building Long-Term Change
Positive changes take time. It makes a huge difference
setting up policies around mental health, diversity, inclusivity etc. It also
helps to create continuous learning programs to help them to feel, that they
are important and valued. Leaders and HR teams can create such a culture by
encouraging feedback to address things before they become an ingrained routine.
Conclusion
Toxicity in the workplace is no small thing or task, but
it’s fundamental to the health and well-being of any organization. There are
signs that we can recognize and why toxicity happens, when we understand both,
we can then do positive changes to the workplace that brings people excited to
be contributing and growing.
References
• Rofcanin,
Y., & Anand, S. (2020). The impact of toxic workplaces. Journal of
Organizational Psychology, 22(3), 256-267.
• Kelloway,
E.K., Nielsen, K., & Dimoff, J.K. (2021). Leading to occupational health
and safety. Wiley.
• Cropanzano,
R., & Mitchell, M.S. (2005). Social Exchange Theory: An Interdisciplinary
Review. Journal of Management, 31(6), 874-900.
• Katz,
D., & Kahn, R.L. (1978). The Social Psychology of Organizations.
Wiley.
• Herzberg,
F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B.B. (1959). The Motivation to Work.
Wiley.
• Bass,
B.M. (1985). Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations. Free Press.
• Kantor,
J., & Streitfeld, D. (2015). Inside Amazon: Wrestling Big Ideas in a
Bruising Workplace. The New York Times.
It would have helped to see how to pr steps to build better culture been mentioned here..
ReplyDeleteThis blog provides a concise, perceptive analysis of toxic workplace cultures along with doable solutions. It clearly explains the causes of toxicity and illustrates the actual effects with examples from Uber and Amazon. Businesses looking to create a healthy work environment might benefit from the theories and suggested actions, such as emphasizing leadership and mental health support. Anyone interested in making workplaces healthier should read this!
ReplyDeleteYou’re right, dealing with toxicity at work is really important for the health of any organization. By spotting the signs, like bad communication or lack of trust, we can understand why it happens and make things better. When people feel valued and supported, they’re more likely to be excited about their work and contribute positively. Fixing a toxic work environment takes time, but it makes the whole workplace stronger and more enjoyable for everyone.
ReplyDeleteWhile the article highlights key solutions to toxic cultures, it oversimplifies the challenge of changing deeply ingrained behaviors, especially when leadership shifts are required. Companies like Google and Zappos may not offer easily replicable models for industries with different pressures, like healthcare or finance. More tailored, industry-specific strategies might be necessary. Overall it's a good read!
ReplyDeleteYour article captures the essence of what truly makes or breaks workplace culture. By emphasizing the impact of leadership, communication, and balanced expectations, you highlight how easily good intentions can spiral into negative outcomes. Addressing toxic culture, especially in high-stress industries like finance and healthcare, requires thoughtful, continuous changes that support employee well-being. Your references to theories like Social Exchange and Role Theory underscore the importance of recognizing employees’ needs. This piece makes a compelling case for leaders and HR teams to foster a supportive culture, emphasizing mental health, inclusivity, and continuous learning for sustained positive change.
ReplyDeleteThis article highlights the signs and causes of a toxic workplace, such as burnout and poor communication, and the role of leadership in fostering a positive culture. It emphasizes the importance of supportive leadership, recognition, and work-life balance to improve morale and productivity. Creating long-term positive change requires continuous effort, policies on mental health and inclusivity, and open feedback.
ReplyDeleteHaroon, your articale does an excellent job examining the elements of toxic workplace culture and offers practical steps for improvement. From a tech and entrepreneurial standpoint, one alternative view is to emphasize proactive culture-building through clear role definitions and continuous feedback loops. In dynamic environments like tech, employees often experience role ambiguity, especially in fast-growing teams. Here, establishing regular check ins and clear, adaptable role guidelines can prevent miscommunication and stress. Leaders particularly in startup and tech settings—play a central role in setting a positive example by modeling openness, promoting balance, and actively addressing issues before they escalate. By creating a feedback-driven environment rooted in transparency and adaptability, organizations can foster a healthy culture that keeps teams engaged, innovative, and motivated to grow with the company.
ReplyDeleteYou said:
This blog highlights the impact of toxic workplace culture, emphasizing signs like burnout, disengagement, and high turnover. By referencing theories like Social Exchange and Herzberg’s Two-Factor, it shows that employee satisfaction requires more than just reducing stress—it needs recognition and work-life balance. Examples from Google and Zappos illustrate how positive leadership can rebuild a healthier culture. The focus on transformational leadership is key to fostering an environment where employees thrive. A great read for understanding and addressing toxic dynamics in the workplace.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an insightful topic, and one that's incredibly relevant in today's work environment. Recognizing the signs of a toxic workplace culture—whether it's poor communication, lack of trust, or constant negativity—is the first step toward making meaningful change. Addressing these issues requires a clear commitment from leadership to promote transparency, respect, and support for employees. It’s also important to encourage open dialogue where individuals feel safe to voice their concerns without fear of retaliation. By creating a culture of accountability, inclusivity, and mutual respect, organizations can transform a toxic environment into a thriving, positive workplace. Great read—thank you for sharing these valuable strategies!
ReplyDeleteGreat insights on identifying and addressing toxic workplace culture! I agree that recognizing the signs early is key to improving the environment. I also agree with building open communication channels and supporting mental health are essential steps toward positive change. Research shows that toxic cultures can lead to high turnover and burnout (Gallup, 2021). Great job.
ReplyDelete