5 Signs of a Toxic Work Culture and How to Fix Them

Going from toxic to healthy can improve employee morale, retention, and boost your company’s reputation.

What Is a Toxic Work Culture? 

Think of a plant in a toxic environment; the plant will fail to thrive and will ultimately die. That’s basically the metaphor for a toxic corporate culture. It prevents employees from thriving and while it (probably) won’t kill them literally, it won’t bring out their best and will eventually drive them to look for a job elsewhere.

A strong company culture is important for your company’s longevity and business success. In order to build an exciting culture that will entice job seekers and retain employees, you need to be thoughtful with the type of organizational culture you aim to create. Be vigilant against the following company culture red flags to allow a positive work environment to flourish.

An Absence of Core Values

The Problem: Perhaps the most concerning sign of a bad company culture is a lack of company core values. These are the driving force of an organization — not having core values means your culture is likely to progress without any sense of direction. Unwanted subcultures will form and undermine your business’ success.

The Fix: Draft and publish a list of core values. These should be the set list of ideals that truly matter to your team and will help you achieve your goals. Before promoting them to the rest of the team, ensure C-suite executives, HR representatives and long-term employees are aligned on core values. Then, go over each value with the rest of the team. Doing so will help elicit positive behaviors and attitudes, creating a cohesive company culture.

Teams See High Turnover

The Problem: High turnover is almost always a guaranteed sign of a toxic company culture. Not only will a bad culture drive employees away, it will also deter job seekers from taking your organization seriously; more than one-third of U.S. employees say they would turn down the perfect job if they thought the culture, wasn’t a good fit. If you’re saying goodbye to employees left and right, they’re probably looking for a less toxic company culture.

The Fix: It’s time to double down on your company culture strategy. To do that, however, you need to understand the root of the problem. Probe employees during exit interviews on their reasons for leaving. Try to understand what it was about your culture that frustrated them and which aspects they found difficult to part with.

Then, talk to employees — especially long-term employees — to get a sense of what’s kept them around. Consider conducting an employee engagement survey and carefully analyse the results. Once you know what you need to improve, act on it.

Office Gossip Runs Rampant

The Problem: It wasn’t cool in middle school, and it certainly isn’t appropriate in the office. Gossip leads to unwanted cliques that divide your workforce, turning employees against each other and creating a culture of distrust.

The Fix: If you’re noticing that the rumour mill is churning more often than not, address the situation head on. Try to identify the individuals who seem to be involved most frequently and speak to them one-on-one. You should also formally address the entire company so every employee knows this behaviour will not be tolerated.

There’s a Culture of Unfriendly Competition

The Problem: Healthy competition is good for business. It motivates employees and encourages stellar performance, which can help grow your company. However, having competition as the focal point of your culture will breed animosity between employees.

The Fix: If you see that individuals are highly competitive with one another, you may be placing too much value on performance. Of course, you want your team to be full of top performers, but you also want your team to be full, period. Pitting individuals against each other will frustrate employees and undermine their value as individuals.

To avoid sending great employees packing, recognize performance on a broader scale and outside the confines of monetary rewards. Encourage managers to recognize their direct reports’ effort and reward their achievements with prizes cantered on wellness, such as a comped fitness class, gift card to a favourite restaurant or an extra day off. Additionally, create a platform for individuals to congratulate and thank their co-workers for a job well done. This will motivate employees and encourage a team-oriented mindset.

Source builtin.com