Caution:  It’s TOXIC!!!

Have you ever heard anyone describe a workplace as “toxic”? I’ve heard it many times, but I’d never seen the definition, so I looked it up. It’s described as “poisonous, very harmful, or unpleasant in a pervasive or insidious way.” That certainly fit my paradigm of a toxic workplace…I don’t think many people think of “poisonous” in a positive light.

I then saw an AI overview about what comprises a toxic work environment. Some signs include:

• High turnover – Frequent and quick 
• Poor Communication – Often one-sided and used as a power struggle   
• No Work-Life Balance – Requires employees to sacrifice their well-being for their job
• Poor Leadership – A toxic boss can negatively impact every aspect of a company
• Bullying – Could be bosses or peers
• Burnout – Unrealistic workloads can lead to burnout and career stagnation
• Gossip – A sign that team members aren’t talking about issues directly
• Lack of Work-Life Integration – Negative behaviors like manipulation, bullying, and yelling are so ingrained in the culture that other issues become the norm

I’d encourage you to scan that list above again. Question: Have you ever experienced a toxic workplace or work environment? If you’re like most people the answer is “yes.” Scan the list again. What were the signs you experienced that prompted you to say “yes?” I’ve only listed 8 items, so you could certainly have experienced something else that caused you to affirm.

Don’t Gloss Over the Details

The reason I ask you to identify the signs of what you experienced is that too many times people gloss over the details that are necessary to help them make good decisions going forward. For example, I’ve never met someone who is trying to land a job in a toxic workplace! Can you imagine? “Yes, I’d like to find a company where I never know what’s expected of me or my colleagues, and people quit all the time!” Ludicrous, right?

But when we simply reframe the desire, it comes across as “I’d like to find a company with a great culture.” Ok, everyone would say they want that. But how do they define that? (NOTE: You can see our 8-week blog series on corporate culture that starts HERE.) And, as is true with many things, if you have trouble defining the positives, then start listing out what you DON’T want in a workplace culture.

Network, Network, Network

Now, for those of you who know me or have followed our blogs for a while, you know where I’m going to go next. YUP!! Networking is the answer! No way you’ll ever find an organization publicly acknowledging they have a toxic culture, yet most of you shook your head “yes” in having experienced one. The primary way you’ll find out about some of the signs I listed is through the networking process (See some fundamentals about networking HERE).  The other two ways to learn about a company’s workplace is through direct questions from you in the interview process (See interview question preparation HERE) and of course, through social media, although of course just because something shows up on the internet doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true.

A key item to remember when you’re exploring whether an organization has a toxic workplace is that organizations are comprised of people, and it takes individuals to create that toxic workplace. Corporate culture’s foundation is what people believe it takes to get results, and if an individual believes that he or she must be bossy, manipulative, a liar, a backbiter, a gossiper, a micromanager, an intimidator (how many more descriptors would you like?), then you’ll inevitably get the outcome of a toxic workplace.  

Unfortunately if that individual is a leader, then he or she sets the tone for others, and others are likely to follow their example. So as you’re networking and interviewing, try to be as specific as possible when ascertaining the source of toxicity. Which division? Which department? Which team? Who is it? With patience and lots of inquiry, you’ll be able to get a pretty good idea of who is creating the toxic workplace.  

THEN, the question becomes: If you can determine who it is, then why can’t the company? 🙂 After nine years serving an organization directly on this topic, I’d suggest the company can and probably has identified who it could be as well. But then, for a wide variety of reasons, they choose not to actively wield their corporate values to guide people’s behaviors.  

At this point it is worth mentioning that not everyone is going to see each workplace environment the same. What some people might consider toxic, others could see as perfectly acceptable. Each person has their own gauge of what toxicity in a work environment might look like, so as you network and research, make sure you are filtering out the opinions of others to come to a well educated decision for yourself.

Where Do You Go From Here?

So, where does that leave us? It leaves us with a HUGE “Caution!” as you work to discover which organizations might have a toxic culture. Poison isn’t obvious very often, but how it’s disguised doesn’t affect its potency.  

Scripture tells us in Proverbs 6:12-14 “What are worthless and wicked people like? They are constant liars, signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye, a nudge of the foot, of the wiggle of fingers. Their perverted hearts plot evil, and they constantly stir up trouble.” Proverbs 22:24-25 states, ‘Don’t be friends with people who become angry easily. Don’t stay around quick-tempered people.” Proverbs 4:16-17 explains, “For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.”

Overall, Scripture tells us to stay away from these people – only the Holy Spirit can truly transform their lives. (Hmmm, same as me!)  

If you are unfulfilled in your workplace, perhaps a toxic workplace is a big contributor toward what you are feeling? If you are unemployed, I’d encourage you to have your culture antenna up as you look for your next employment. Toxic poison is a respecter of no one. None of us are immune to its harm and hurt. Being prepared in the search process can help you avoid landing in its midst. CAUTION!!

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Dave Sparkman currently serves as the volunteer Crossroads Career board chair and local ministry leader. He is also the founder and managing director of Spark Your Culture, a corporate culture consulting firm. Prior to that he worked at UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune #5 public company, serving in the role of Chief Culture Officer. His unemployment experience came from the implosion of Arthur Andersen, where he served as the West Region Managing Partner, People.