Toxic workplace culture can have a negative impact on employee morale, productivity, and even physical health. Recognizing signs of a toxic work culture proactively and addressing them before it becomes problematic is the smart move. Identifying and addressing toxicity is also the best way to ensure the qualities of high performers remain consistent. This article will explore seven signs of toxic workplace culture and offer tips on managing them. 

Signs of Negative Staff Attitude that trigger a Toxic Workplace

1. Poor leadership:

Poor leadership leads to a toxic working environment. Employees are afraid to voice their opinions. It can be due to fear of retaliation from management or other employees. Bad leadership such as shutting down, humiliating, or dismissing anyone who speaks out of turn will always result in a toxic working environment. Employees are fearful and intimidated when they experience this type of treatment. It results in a toxic culture because people will often step over others to stay on the right side of the boss. If you want to focus on retaining high performers, you should ensure honest and open communication between management and your employees. 

2. Divisive behavior:  

Drama and gossip within the workplace are other signs of a toxic culture. It is one thing to have workplace friends, but when toxic work cultures arise, these friend groups become divisive and cause gossip and tensions. Such behavior can take a toll on your employees and lead to judgment and blackmail. It can create an atmosphere of distrust and make it difficult for employees to focus on their work as they feel bullied or belittled by co-workers. Additionally, a toxic workplace may have a high turnover rate, as employees leave due to the hostile environment. 

3. Office politics:

Office politics result in a toxic culture. Preferential treatment not only destroys the workplace culture but it affects one’s sense of belonging. When people become concerned with titles and hierarchy, success is measured by status rather than performance, leading to a drop in productivity and destroying team morale in your company. 

4. High attrition numbers:

Every company needs to retain its top performers. One of the top expectations of high performers that encourages them to stay with your company is the opportunity to grow. If people in your organization are always quitting, it’s often because they are not allowed to grow. They don’t feel like they make an impact and don’t receive the care and attention they need. The environment can also deter employees from staying. If you notice excessive absenteeism, it clearly shows you have a toxic work culture.

5. An atmosphere of fear:

An atmosphere of fear leads to a toxic culture. A lack of psychological safety indicates a problem. Empowering employees with the freedom to express new ideas without fear of judgment or reprisal is crucial in building a successful company. The best ideas are often born from diverse thoughts and opinions. If your employees are limited by fear of failure and feel like they can never step out of their comfort zones, you limit your company’s innovation ability. 

6. Low engagement and high burnout:  

Workplace morale is a strong indicator of your work culture. If you want motivated employees that help increase your company’s productivity, providing interesting and stimulating work conditions is necessary. Companies with high workplace morale are more productive, have more substantial results, and have fewer employee turnovers. If you notice that your employees are constantly burnt out and have very low engagement, it is likely caused by toxic work culture. 

7. Lack of trust:

Mutual trust between employees and their managers is the core foundation of a successful organization and is earned through an encouraging work environment. Micromanagement can cause employees to lose their trust, which would then cause them to lose energy and efficiency. Managers should display confidence in their team and step in as a guide when necessary instead of nitpicking and taking over a task.  

These are only a few signs that HR has to watch out for, but each one of them can be cause for concern. Frequent inputs from the culture score card can go a long way to bringing existing work conditions into the light. The manager or HR may be able to help address the issue or put policies in place to prevent it from happening again. Additionally, you can build positive relationships with your co-workers. It can help create a more positive work environment overall. You can also leverage Synergita’s Culture Score, a valuable tool to monitor your work culture and take appropriate measures when necessary. 

How to deal with Negative Employee Feedback

There are a few different ways to address negative employees. The first is to have a conversation with them. You can do this in person or through email or chat. During this conversation, you will want to explain the problem and how it affects the team. You will also want to give the employee a chance to present their side. After that, you can work together to devise a plan to improve the situation. 

Another way to address negative employees is to give them written warnings. It would be best if you did this only after you have had a conversation with the employee and they have not made any improvements. The written warning should outline the problem and consequences if the situation does not improve. 

If an employee continues to be negative after these two steps, you may need to consider terminating their employment. Termination is the last resort and should only be done after you have exhausted all other options. 

Conclusion

A toxic workplace culture results in reduced productivity, higher turnover rates, and poor working conditions within your company. To retain HIPO employees, providing good working conditions is essential. Leveraging technology-enabled tools to enhance employee engagement is a sound approach to improving employee morale, motivation, and desire to stay with the company.