TABLE OF CONTENTS
The signs of a toxic workplace can be insidious, with the issue silently rumbling away in the background for far longer than should be the case.
MIT Sloan researchers found that workers are 10.4 times more likely to leave their jobs because of a toxic work culture than because of compensation, which makes a toxic work environment a significant problem for HR, the affected teams – and the bottom line.
Leaders must be vigilant when it comes to recognising the signs of a toxic environment. Common indicators, which come at a high cost due to the low productivity that it causes and the high levels of churn - with the associated cost of recruiting and retaining new employees - include:
- High employee turnover
- Increased absenteeism
- Frequent conflicts among staff
- Low employee morale
- Poor communication and collaboration
- Resistance to change and innovation
As many as one-quarter of employees suffer from toxicity in their workplace, according to the McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) on employee burnout. MHI noted that some people will suffer in silence, others will eventually lash out and a number simply leave and will likely tell all those they know that the organisation is a toxic workplace.
So, what can leaders do to turn a toxic work environment into one where employees feel psychologically safe and empowered to do their best work? MIT Sloan’s review of employee board Glassdoor comments pinpointed what made a toxic workplace and identified a ‘toxic five’ set of culture attributes – we take these in turn and apply our expertise to show how senior leaders can deal with each.
MIT Sloan’s toxic five of workplace culture – and how to deal with them
1. Disrespect
According to a Harvard Business Review survey of 20,000 workers, the most influential behaviour that fosters increased dedication and involvement is respect. Respect and value are crucial factors in creating a healthy work environment where motivated individuals are happy, devoted and driven to give their all.
Respect is also imperative for leaders when it comes to driving out toxicity in their workplace. Treating others with gratitude and dignity or expressing appreciation for their characteristics goes a long way to cultivate trust and mutual respect.
Respect for others in a work setting needs to be in place regardless of one’s own feelings towards another person, and everyone – regardless of seniority – needs to understand its value.
To show respect, communicate openly and honestly, listen actively, use inclusive language, be supportive, respect boundaries, and show recognition and appreciation for your employees.
When it is present, respect is a powerful foundational building block in a positive work atmosphere and when there is mutual respect, colleagues feel appreciated for their accomplishments, skills, and attributes, which can counteract any toxicity in the workplace.
2. Non-inclusiveness
By becoming a respectful, inclusive leader, managers can create a workplace culture where diverse perspectives are encouraged, given room to thrive, and innovation and creativity are boosted. Celebrate diverse backgrounds and experiences, being mindful of boundaries and biases, promote employee engagement and show empathy, vulnerability and collaborate with colleagues.
Because inclusive leadership encourages employees to share knowledge and build new skills, it also promotes personal growth and development. This may result in more self-assurance and a stronger feeling of purpose at work. Inclusive leadership has the power to maximise each worker’s potential and foster a more harmonious and effective work environment. Organisations can gain a more enthusiastic, innovative, and devoted workforce by embracing diversity and encouraging inclusivity.
3. Unethical
Unethical leaders can be juxtaposed with the words ‘shady’ and “cheat,’ among others, according to MIT Sloan’s findings. It doesn’t take much consideration to agree that these are terms that no decent leader wants to be labelled with.
So, what can a leader do to avoid being unethical? Forbes recommends leading by example, cultivating external awareness so you see beyond your own frame of reference, being accountable, putting other people first and being guided by your values – and being open about the latter.
Being transparent and walking the talk, rather than merely talking the talk, keeping promises and behaving with integrity will speak volumes about the kind of person you are.
4. Cutthroat
Working in an environment where people steal one another’s credit, shift responsibility – and blame – and are generally unsupportive, unhelpful and disruptive, leads to stress and is a spanner of the wheel of productivity.
Competition can be healthy but not when members of a team are pitted against one another. Leaders must establish clear boundaries for what types of behaviour are acceptable, and which are not – and they can show this by role-modelling.
Also, by promoting a health work-life balance, leaders can show that presenteeism, for instance, won’t be viewed as a positive trait.
5. Abusive
No explanation is needed to understand why people do not relish working in abusive environments. Such places make it difficult, and feasibly impossible, to feel psychologically safe and to work productively.
MIT Sloan defines abusive management as ‘sustained hostile behaviour toward employees, as opposed to a boss who has a difficult day and takes it out on team members. The most often mentioned hostile behaviours in our sample are bullying, yelling, or shouting at employees, belittling or demeaning subordinates, verbally abusing people, and condescending or talking down to employees.’
Not only can such behaviour lead to stress, but unchecked, it could lead to legal action, psychological damage to those at the sharp end and can shatter a reputation, as people have plenty of public platforms from which to reveal what it is like to work in a particular place.
10 ways to help eradicate toxicity:
- Prioritise psychological safety so that people are free to be themselves at work without fear of blame, belittling or any negative ramifications – this means they will be productive, creative and happy without feeling restrained in any way
- Carry out regular, anonymous surveys that are acted upon, with comments replied to and acknowledged by senior leaders
- Work with employees to understand their challenges – and be sure to respond to these and improve the situation
- Understand the legalities relating to bullying and harassment
- Provide positive feedback and rewards for successes
- Talk to people as though they are humans, not cogs in a wheel
- Encourage people to enjoy their work and have fun
- Work towards a growth culture
- Listen to people with an open mind
- Avoid blame so that people are free to think outside the box and stretch themselves rather than stick to the minimum because they are afraid to reach further
To find out more about inclusive leadership and to learn more about how to ensure your employees feel psychologically safe so they can do their best work, book a discussion with one of our consultants. We look forward to connecting with you.
