Say Goodbye To Toxic Work Environment
Are you working in a ‘Toxic Environment’? Toxic work environment means some negative behaviours, which include miscommunication, over-workload, bullying and yelling, ignoring employees’ concerns, etc., that lead to an unsafe workplace and cause discrimination situations between employees. Those toxic work environments will make employees scared about working and want to take leave to escape the toxic environment.
The reasons for the toxic work environment occurring are poor competition, a lack of mutual recognition between employees, strict leaders who ask employees to follow their own rules, or cutthroat competition between employees. Those factors not only affect the employees at work but also affect their daily life. Which makes employees always consider their job, even in their leisure time.
Characteristics of a Toxic Work Environment
Mutual Distrust
Under a workplace with high pressure and cutthroat competition, employees are not willing to trust their co-workers easily. Mostly, employees will just focus on their individual benefits in this poor competition. They have a lower intention to cooperate with others, even start doing hostile behaviours towards others such as fraud or harming their reputation. Therefore, most of the employees will not trust others easily so that they can protect themselves.
Physical and Mental Unease
When people feel stress, they will mostly have some unconscious but benign physiological response and feel nervous. Not even considering that employees are subjected to high-pressure environments for a long period of time. Those employees might have depression, insomnia, or other serious illnesses.
‘Non-Mistake’ Culture
An over harsh workplace would not accept any mistakes even if it is a small mistake. When an employee makes a mistake, the employee will be criticized by those around. The employee would like to pass the buck to others to escape this criticism.
High Turnover Rate
Since employees have lower engagement and sense of belonging, they would like to quit the job when they gain poor treatment and feel different values with the company, especially the new generation employees. While a huge amount of employees quit at the same period, it is a characteristic that shows you this is not an appreciated workplace.
Solutions to a Toxic Work Environment
Build a Trustworthy Workplace
Enterprises can establish policies against bullying and discrimination and enforce them strictly. Build a respectful and trustable workplace for employees and make them more relaxed when they are working.
Build a Relieved Community
Enterprises can build a relieved community that is only for employees to share their ideas, thoughts, or feelings. Allow supervisors and subordinates to share and adopt sharing between each other. Leading a healthy community and workplace with all employees.
Give Appropriate Rewards
Offering rewards can enhance employees’ engagement and build a good climate of competition in the workplace. Meanwhile, offering rewards is a way to appreciate the performance of employees. Which can enhance their self-identity as employees and increase their sense of belonging.
Toxic work environments are detrimental to both individuals and organizations, leading to reduced productivity, higher turnover rates, and lower job satisfaction. Slindon recognizes the importance of creating a healthy and positive workplace culture. By actively addressing the signs of toxicity, encouraging open communication, nurturing collaboration, and valuing employees’ contributions, we can say goodbye to toxic work environments!
