RISE IN WORKPLACE TOXICITY: Is the trade worth it?

A fresh graduate steps out bidding farewell to studentship and university life and steps into a professional journey, envisioning a life of stability and opportunities. That also, only after surviving a battle with other candidates trying to secure a job to survive in an economy that only gets more difficult every day. However, the new trend in offices is to gain 'more from less' and that is applied in the form of exploiting the hopes and mental health of the employee.

The hopes of an employee's personal growth and enthusiastic skill development get crushed under the toxicities many workplaces, especially corporates, now behold. They are confronted with mistreatment, mental stress, and a corporate culture that fails to nurture and support their development.

Toxic work environments are a drain on the personal and professional lives of the employees in an office. Toxic environments in workplaces include atmospheres that are stressful, cutthroat, and non-inclusive. It can lead to excessive employee stress and burnout, which may end up with 'silent quitting', which has been on a drastic increase lately.

The work culture in Bangladesh has its own level of stress and pressure ingrained. From the polluted air to the polluted roads, the wastage of time every day due to severe traffic, and the negative energy that comes from just living - everything adds to the daily stress. The signs of a toxic work environment may vary based on the employee and their working styles and triggers.

In this situation, it is difficult to pinpoint the fact that one may be stuck in a toxic workplace. This writer talked to several professionals in Bangladesh working in entry to mid-level in local and multinational corporates to understand the ongoing symptoms of a toxic work culture. Here are some signs that a workplace may have become unhealthy and draining.

Poor communication: In a toxic work culture, communication tends to be unclear, inconsistent, vague, and expectation-based. The 'why do we need to clear you into this as you must have figured it out yourself' mindset is very toxic as it creates pressure to presume and overthink their designated duties sometimes. Employees may not receive essential information or feedback, leading to misunderstanding and frustration.

Lack of transparency: Transparency is often lacking, with management making decisions behind closed doors and failing to explain their rationale. This lack of transparency can breed mistrust among employees.

Rigid and inflexible authority: Toxic cultures are often characterised by autocratic leadership styles where managers manage employees with a 'no excuse' mindset and exert excessive control, and discourage independent thinking. Excessive micromanagement or managers excessively monitoring and controlling employees' every move can create a demoralised and exhausting atmosphere.

Excessive workload: Employees in toxic workplaces may be overburdened with work, leading to eventual and frequent burnout, stress, and a diminished work-life balance. Unrealistic expectations and tight deadlines are common.

Playing favourites: Nepotism, favouritism, and office politics can thrive in toxic environments. Employees may feel that promotions and recognition are more 'personal connection' based than it is on merit and excellence.

Bullying: Disrespectful behaviour, including bullying, discrimination, and harassment, can be prevalent. A culture of gossip and negativity can thrive in toxic environments, contributing to a hostile and unproductive atmosphere. Backbiting and gossip-mongering over foul intentions are serious issues and can lead employees to feel threatened and unsafe. Employees may fear reporting such incidents due to retaliation and social exclusion.

Blame-shifting: Instead of taking responsibility for mistakes, a toxic culture may encourage blame-shifting and finger-pointing, which stifles innovation and problem-solving.

Fear-based management: Employees may be managed through fear tactics, threats, or intimidation. This fear-based approach erodes trust and creativity.

Unfair compensation and benefits: In some cases, toxic cultures may result in unfair compensation practices, where employees are underpaid and undervalued. Moreover, compensation doesn't follow the same structure for all employees. The lack of job security in private corporations is worse as employees are in constant fear of being sacked without notice.

Lack of professional development: Opportunities for skill development and career advancement may be limited, leaving employees feeling stuck in their roles. Sometimes supervisors or seniors at different roles withhold important information and don't disseminate necessary training in fear of getting replaced or thinking that employees might leave once trained. This creates a lose-lose situation for both the employees and the organisation's growth.

Disrupting work-life balance: Offices that have no respect for employees' boundaries are the most toxic ones. Some expect and demand employees to be active and work even hours after their designated work hours. The female workers suffer from a lack of support while they are menstruating or during postpartum after they have had their babies. Rigid and inflexible workplaces botch the work-life balance of employees and lead to extreme burnout.

Apart from these, some workplaces have unhealthy boss-employee, and senior-junior dynamics that go beyond professionalism and exploit their subordinates. Sexual harassment, abusive behavior, and the unwillingness to address issues like that are major red flags in any workplace.

Is change possible: Yes, it is very possible to change the toxic dynamics of a workplace to a healthier one. It all starts with a willingness to change and strong commitment from the people in leadership positions. Conducting surveys, interviews, and assessments to understand the extent and specific nature of toxic elements and using the data to raise awareness among employees will go a long way.

Establishing transparent communication channels and ensuring that employees can voice concerns without fear is important. The senior-subordinate dynamic should be friendly and supportive, understanding and empathetic. It is also important to define clear expectations for behaviour, performance, and ethics. Practices that reward positive contributions and take action against toxic behaviour will set examples for change.

Proper mentorship and support are helpful in managing a healthy workplace. This can be done by implementing mentorship programmes where experienced employees can guide freshers and provide assistance. Also offering employee assistance programmes and in-house counselling services to address mental health issues and work-related stress is a very effective strategy. Many local and multinational corporations have such good practices at play.

A well-trained and sensitive HR with good communication and assistance skills can help resolve conflicts without leading to toxic consequences and bitterness among employees. Cultural sensitivity and inclusivity with respect to all positions are very important to maintain harmony.

Work life and personal life must be separated and individual boundaries must be respected. If the workplace is empathetic and respectful to their employees, productivity will skyrocket. The same goes for internees and what can be realistically expected from them as well as treating them with respect and proper amenities.

Changing a toxic workplace culture takes a lot of effort and needs a lot of collective decisions. It requires persistence, patience, and strategy. Companies must remember, their employees are their valuable assets, who work to keep the company running. So, it is essential to be inclusive of their employees at all levels, listen to their concerns, and work together to create a healthier, friendly and positive work environment.

Tahseen Nower Prachi is a final-year student of Mass Communication and Journalism at the University of Dhaka.

nowertahseen@gmail.com