From small businesses to large corporations, toxic working environments are a common problem across many companies and industry types. If left unchecked, a toxic environment may lead to high job turnover rates, substantial losses in productivity and rampant harassment that could lead to litigation. What’s more, many employees claim that their company or employer does little to solve or even acknowledge the problems.
There are ways to combat a toxic work environment, however. Consider the following tips as you address these issues:
- Send the right message: Sending the right message starts by providing encouragement to your staff and managers. Who needs to be heard? Make employees know it’s okay to speak up when there is a concern.
- Update training as needed: A bad environment may start with a lack of understanding of proper workplace behaviors. When was the last time you revised your training methods or employee handbook? Your employees should know what you expect of them.
- Consider how you discipline your leaders: Part of the problem may be a lack of accountability for supervisors and other authoritative roles. These workers should be in charge of maintaining good company morale and adhering to workplace ethics. Consider changing how you approach your disciplinary tactics and performance reviews regarding leadership.
Without taking measures to prevent these problems, you may eventually find yourself in the middle of a legal battle. Of course, no company is perfect. But you stand your best chance of improving upon the atmosphere of your workplace by adjusting how you approach your business’s administrative and HR-related elements.