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Toxicity in the Workplace — How to Change It?
Toxicity in workplaces is like that hateful person in your office that nobody invited but everyone knows. You might not recognize it at first, but it’s the reason meetings feel longer, breaks feel shorter, and Mondays feel…well, even more like Mondays. In fact, it is a quiet productivity killer, linked to everything from turnover to organizational crises. Here is a breakdown of workplace toxicity, its telltale signs, and how to (gently but effectively) shoo it out of the office.
What Exactly IS Workplace Toxicity?
Toxicity in the workplace comes from a host of behaviors, values, and leadership styles that foster stress, fear, and a lack of respect. It may start with small things — miscommunication, favoritism, or lack of accountability — but once established, it tends to spread, affecting everyone around. This “office virus” typically takes root at the top and works its way down like bad coffee in a drip machine.
For instance, a manager driven solely by personal gain might create an atmosphere where stress rules, making employees focus more on keeping their heads down than on adding value and creating profit.
