The Psychosocial Impact of a Toxic Work Environment

By Jordan Mayfield LSCSW, LCAC

In a country obsessed with money, Capitalism reigns supreme and workers' rights and quality of life are minor considerations. Considering we spend the bulk of our waking-life at work from the ages of 18 to 65 (if we’re lucky), a positive work environment is paramount in the mental and emotional wellbeing of individuals and a society as a whole. In the United States various employment laws have been adopted and implemented over the years designed to make the marketplace more equitable, but the government has not done enough.

Kansas’s minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour (The Bottom Line). This has not been changed since 2010. For context, in 2010 I was working a minimum wage job in Kansas and this year my child who is now old enough to enter the workforce will likely make the exact same amount. Between 2010 and 2020 housing and food expenses increased 25.7% while the minimum wage did not increase along with it (Filterbuy).  According to CPI inflation calculator $7.25 in 2010 has the equivalent in purchasing power as $10.38 today.

            Lack of adequate wages is only one potential element of a toxic work environment. According to Linkedin a toxic work environment consists of “high levels of stress, harassment, discrimination, bullying, unrealistic expectations, and lack of support.” These experiences are so damaging they can culminate in the experience of PTSD by the employee(s).

            HR Dive found that women are 41% more likely than men to experience a toxic work environment, even those in positions of authority. This is partly related to the gender wage-gap; however, women were more likely to experience “disrespectful, non-inclusive, cut-throat, abusive and unethical behavior” (HR Dive). Women were also significantly more likely to report additional types of issues including race, disability, LGBTQ+ inequity and harassment, and favoritism. A recent study by Culture X and Revelio Labs found that being in a toxic work culture was the largest reason people resigned from jobs and 10 times more likely to influence a resignation than unsatisfying compensation. So basically, people are willing to make less if the work environment is good. As a result, it actually costs a company MORE to have a toxic work environment due to high attrition rates.

            MIT Sloan Management Review states that the second largest contributing factor to whether a woman identifies a work culture as toxic, or not, is whether or not they feel disrespected by managers. The women involved in this study more frequently described a range of mistreatment “including microaggressions, gaslighting, and unfair hiring and promotion decisions, as well as outright misogyny, sexism and sexual harassment” (MIT Sloan Management Review).

            HR Dive suggests that hiring managers can look out for people who will perpetuate a toxic work environment during the hiring process. They state, “you really want to understand who in your company is a toxic leader because they are going to have a disproportionate impact on things like engagement and retention.” Coaching Diversity agrees and states that “the primary cause of toxic work environments is poor leadership” additionally, “one-third of employees working in a toxic environment are afraid to say anything about it because they fear they’ll be ostracized or fired.”

Coach Diversity Institute identifies ten methods to help fix a toxic work environment:

·      Engage with employees in positive ways.

·      Create a safe space for healthy discussions.

·      Lead by example.

·      Express gratitude for your staff members.

·      Tap into the unique strength of each team member.

·      Show respect for employees’ needs.

·      Provide constructive forms of criticism.

·      Establish and maintain a standard of fairness.

·      Facilitate opportunities for inclusive team bonding.

·      Allow team members to own their roles and performance.

Toxic work culture can make going to work agonizing and strongly decrease a person’s quality of life. While employment laws, policy and management shifts can help in reducing this, those experiencing a toxic work environment can do more to name it and demand change. Most social change has occurred because those being disenfranchised collectively demanded change. Addressing workplace inequity and toxicity will likely be no different.