Toxic workplaces are never just a collection of toxic people who engage in egregious behavior. They’re about skewed cultures and unproductive or harmful norms that gradually seep into “how things are done around here” over time, burying energy, camaraderie, and optimism with them.
Of course, what makes a work environment toxic varies, but there are undeniable universal elements that underpin most toxic cultures. Leaders who establish a baseline set of behaviors can get their “80 for the 20” (the most impactful result for the least amount of associated effort) in terms of unraveling what caused the toxic workplace in the first place.
Bad workplace behavior isn’t just the result of a few “bad apples.” It occurs because leadership either ignored warning signs that something was wrong or failed to communicate the gravity of the offense. Leadership decides and defines unacceptable behavior, so when people miss the mark, it’s often because it hasn’t been clearly defined – or because they believe they can get away with it.
Leaders play a critical role in creating and sustaining a positive culture. You must identify and resolve the issue, as well as reassure victims and repair culture. Giving a speech about unacceptable behavior, however, is insufficient; leaders must implement a robust policy that takes effective action and encourages open communication among all team members. Here’s how to deal with a toxic work environment:
Engage with employees in positive ways
Maintain a positive attitude. Don’t spend all of your time cooped up in your office. Engage with your employees regularly throughout the day to demonstrate that you do not put yourself on a pedestal.
Replace callousness with care-authentically
Culture has no chance when people fundamentally feel undervalued and underappreciated. So much toxic behavior stems from people believing that no one cares about or for them. Leaders who genuinely care about their employee’s personal growth and career development can make such rapid cultural progress. By praising and recognizing employees and simply making them feel valued. This is the least rocket-science-like thing on this list, but it is also the least executed.
Express gratitude for your staff members
Recognize and appreciate your employees where it is due. Inform them that they are valuable and that the company would fail without them. Be sincere and specific about the things they excel at.
Focus on sincerity and accountability
Real apologies are the first step to repairing relationships with employees and rebuilding trust on an individual level. However, the organization must also commit to change and show toxic behaviors will not be tolerated. Senior leadership should set metrics for improvement (say, a reduction in incident reports) and keep track of progress over time.
Facilitate opportunities for inclusive team bonding
Create camaraderie between employees and leaders through socialization and sharing. For example, host a weekly or monthly event like Bagel Fridays, where the company supplies everyone with breakfast and coffee to encourage a comfortable and communicative workplace setting.
