As a culture consultant and author, I've seen first-hand how these hidden toxins can affect mental and physical health, corrode motivation, stifle creativity and ultimately lead to employee burnout. The worst cultures are now becoming media stories.
Read more: Over half of UK employees have worked in a toxic workplace
It’s critically important that HR leaders around the world are attuned to the signs that their culture may be becoming toxic, and take the necessary steps to address them before health, relationships and reputations suffer. Here are five often-overlooked signs, and five evidence-based strategies to detoxify your culture.
1. The information black hole
In healthy organisations, knowledge flows freely. But in toxic environments, information becomes a weapon of control. HR finds itself playing catch-up, piecing together details from water cooler whispers and trying to second guess what really happened.
Solution: Become a workplace anthropologist. Document everything. Not only does this create a paper trail but it also allows you to step back and analyse cultural patterns objectively. You might uncover insights that lead to solutions. Become experts at listening and provide multiple channels for employees to ‘talk’ to you.
2. The blame game Olympics
When something goes wrong, do teams problem-solve, or do they devolve into a finger-pointing frenzy? A culture of blame breeds fear, and undermines safety. It’s also corrosive to the relationships required to maintain a sense of belonging.
Read more: Turning toxic cultures around
Solution: Ensure that managers are experts at conflict management and reframe concerns as opportunities for improvement. Managers should focus on how addressing issues can boost the bottom line or contribute to the organisation’s values. Blame needs to be eradicated from the narrative.
3. The invisible pedestal
Some employees – often senior leaders – seem to float above the rules, basking in preferential treatment. This uneven playing field breeds resentment and kills motivation faster than you can say 'unfair advantage'. Their behaviour then becomes the ‘way we do things around here’.
Solution: Treat everyone equitably. The rules are the rules, no matter a person’s place in the hierarchy. HR leaders need to provide protection to all employees if they are to safeguard their reputation as people professionals. This requires courage but will ultimately gain respect.
Ideas and suggestions disappear into a void, never to be seen again. When employee input is consistently ignored, it's not just frustrating, it's a clear signal that creativity and diverse perspectives aren't valued.
Read more: From toxic to trusted: how Corinne Mills turned culture around at Alzheimer’s Society
Solution: Ensure that time is made for employee creativity and that money is available to act on the best of the ideas. Creativity is infectious and when employees seeing their ideas being put into place, it will encourage others to find ways to improve performance too.
High performers fleeing en masse? It's a sure sign that something is rotten in the culture. Losing just one of these people should be enough to ring alarm bells in the HR department.
Solution: Invest in cultural evolution. Culture is the number one reason why people leave their jobs. When time, effort and money is spent by organisations to regularly refresh and renew their culture, loyalty almost doubles. No high-potential employee wants to work for an organisation that undervalues its culture and lets it stagnate.
Toxic culture is every organisation's biggest risk. and HR is not powerless in the face of it. By recognising these subtle signs and employing these strategies, you can take meaningful steps to detoxify your culture and create a fantastic place to work.
By Colin D Ellis, international speaker, culture change facilitator and author of Detox Your Culture
