Toxic work culture is driving away 1 in 5 employees
From toxic relationships to toxic positivity to toxic masculinity, ‘toxic’ has become a catch-all term for anything that is deemed to be remotely negative.
But a toxic workplace in the truest sense is a very real problem and is driving 20 percent of American workers to leave their current positions.
In fact, in the five year period between 2014 and 2019, attrition attributed to toxic workplace culture came in at a cost of $223 billion to U.S. organizations.
The Great Resignation
In the period of 2020 to 2022, more than 50 million Americans left their jobs without having a new one lined up, confident that their skills and ability could help them land a job that aligned to their values, offered better working conditions (for example, remote work) or higher pay.
While the pandemic was the main driver for most of these workers, the Great Resignation isn’t slowing down and in October 2022 alone, 4 million people, which equates to 2.6 percent of the workforce, quit their jobs. These workers cited salary, no advancement opportunities and feeling disrespected as their main reasons for doing so.
But how can you spot a toxic leader or establish that the organization you are working for is toxic when everyone has different tolerance levels, and one worker’s toxic is another’s tolerable?
Systemic toxicity that is deeply ingrained in the way a company runs and how it treats its staff can manifest in various ways, and doesn’t always show up as classic bullying, such as the CEO yelling from their corner office.
Toxic workplace culture can also present as a lack of productivity, a negative ‘can’t do’ attitude to change or innovation, not respecting boundaries such as contacting staff outside of working hours or a lack of trust between team members and colleagues.
Checklist
Another symptom of a toxic workplace is a lack of trust about mental health and wellbeing transparency. According to a recent report conducted by the American Psychological Association, 43 percent of workers said they worried disclosing a mental health condition would have a negative impact on their career.
This is despite 77 percent of workers reporting work-related stress, 31 percent sharing that they were experiencing emotional exhaustion, and 25 percent admitting they wanted to keep to themselves at work and not engage with co-workers.
Additionally, two thirds of those who took part in the survey highlighted that their employer didn’t promote a culture of taking breaks, and only 40 percent reported that their employer facilitates a culture of taking time off.
The obvious solution to a toxic workplace is finding a new job, but how can you ensure the next company you work for isn’t just as bad as the one you’re attempting to flee?
A good tip is to conduct your own due diligence before accepting a job offer by contacting former employees via social media.
They might ignore your unsolicited DM but if you concisely stipulate that you are looking for information about the company and would appreciate it if they could share their experience, you should hopefully get a response back.
Ready to start your job hunt? Head to The Hill Job Board today to explore thousands of roles in companies that are actively hiring, such as the three below.
Inland Empire Health Plan
As the biggest public not-for-profit Medicaid/Medicare program, Inland Empire Health Plan is not only committed to healing and inspiring its members, it wants to afford its employees the same quality of life by providing extensive benefits. As well as more typical benefits including health insurance, life insurance, pet insurance and a 457(b) contribution match, employees can also look forward to wellness programs that promote a healthy work-life balance, and a contribution towards healthcare and childcare. Discover how you can get a job at Inland Empire Health Plan here.
DataAnnotation
Are you looking for a flexible, remote job that will allow you to choose your own hours? DataAnnotation, a company that is involved in training AI chatbots, has a global network of freelance workers and is currently hiring across the U.S.. Whether you are a writer, software developer or simply looking for a way to pivot your skillset to a new career, there are various projects that you can work on. Want to know more? You can access additional information on how to apply here.
Voto Latino
Voto Latino is a nonpartisan organization that empowers next generation Latinos to claim a better future for themselves and their community. United by the belief that Latino issues are American issues, and American issues are Latino issues, Voto Latino is dedicated to uplifting new and diverse voices to develop leaders by engaging youth, media, technology and celebrities to promote positive change. If you’d like to explore open roles, bookmark this page.
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