“When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.
” Toxicity is a destructive force prevalent in many workplaces that permeates through various aspects of the work environment, corroding relationships, teams, and even entire companies. Shockingly, 1.3% of employees at large American companies explicitly describe their company culture as toxic or poisonous, according to Glassdoor.
Toxicity seeps into the workplace due to numerous factors. Lack of respect or outright disrespect between colleagues, unresolved conflicts, credit stealing, unwarranted criticism, misunderstandings, baseless accusations, unclear goals or processes, stagnant career growth, all contribute to a toxic atmosphere.
Employees within toxic environments often experience confusion and frustration due to unclear communication and a lack of transparency in processes and goals. Consequently, toxic workplaces witness high turnover rates, decreased productivity levels, and a rise in stress and depression cases. A recent study conducted by MIT researchers even reveals that a toxic corporate culture is 10.4 times more influential than compensation in predicting a company's attrition rate.
I had worked with a senior team at a large financial institution where lack of trust within the team had caused fissures amongst them. Motivation and productivity was suffering because walls of distrust had got erected between the teams. Communication between teams had slowed down. Once they acknowledged the issue and reason for the discord, they agreed to set a schedule of meetings to exchange news and views.
Toxicity at work doesn’t just affect performance—it deeply impacts mental well-being. To understand how different generations respond to such environments, check out my blog on Gen Z vs Millennials: Work-Life Balance Perspectives.
It is possible to detoxify the workplace when individuals at all levels take ownership to initiate change and commit to the process. The first step in detoxifying a workplace is to address the issue openly and engage in a constructive conversation. It is crucial to present facts rather than get accusatory and focus on resolution. Secondly, garnering support from your peers to collectively work towards detoxifying the workplace. Also, assess the support your team requires, be it mental health resources, coaching interventions, or team- building exercises.
Forbes published the results of a study that revealed happy employees can be up to 20% more productive than their unhappy counterparts.
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