Do you know the signs of a toxic work environment? Have you ever been in one?
Monster’s 2025 workplace survey shows that 80% of employees across the US are in a toxic workplace, a number that’s increased from 67% in the previous year. The same report also highlights how toxic workplaces are the number one cause of poor employee wellbeing, which particularly leads to mental health issues.
It’s also known that toxic work culture has been driving the great resignation for quite some time now, pushing more workers than ever to quit their jobs and seek more sustainable alternatives. The question is, do you know how to recognize the red flags? There are plenty of signs of a toxic work environment that go unnoticed, so it’s important to pay attention and take action before it’s too late.
With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at what a toxic work culture can look like and the five signs you should be wary of.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is a toxic work culture?
A toxic work culture is a work environment characterized by persistent negativity, poor communication, and high stress levels. This type of working environment tends to be unproductive, highly damaging for its workers, and is one of the leading causes of high staff turnover.
Toxic work cultures usually arise when businesses allow harmful behaviors, such as bullying and micromanagement, drive leadership styles. This can leave employees with interpersonal conflict, a lack of trust, and extreme stress and anxiety in the workplace.
Toxic culture is driving the great resignation
iHire's survey on workplace toxicity reveals that almost 54% of employees have left a job because of toxicity, with about 60% saying they’d even accept a lower-wage job in exchange for it. This just means workers will not think twice about leaving an unhealthy work environment.
These numbers can also be worrying for inexperienced job seekers navigating the job market. But whether workers decide to quit quietly or terminate their contracts altogether, the consequences could be catastrophic for businesses, especially since replacing employees is known to be costly. If businesses want to stay afloat, cleaning up their work culture could be the most impactful first step.
5 signs of a toxic work environment
Now that we’ve seen the effects of a toxic work culture, are you ready to learn about the signs of a toxic work environment?
Below, we’ve listed the five most common work culture red flags and some of the most common examples you may see.
High turnover rates
One of the first signs of a toxic work culture is high employee turnover. If you’ve lost count of the number of employees who resign in a year, this could be a sign of underlying problems within the organization.
Frequent departures suggest that workers are unhappy in their roles, often attributed to micromanagement, poor top-down leadership, and high workplace stress.
For example, say a company hires for the same position every few months, but each one leaves within the first year, it could suggest that workloads are unmanageable and leaders offer little support.
Poor communication
Communication is the foundation of a successful workplace culture. If coworkers seem disconnected and have little to no say in the company’s development, this is a clear sign of a toxic work environment.
Another sign of poor communication is a lack of organizational structure within a company. For example, if managers frequently make major decisions without consulting staff, such as changing targets or moving deadlines, each department quickly falls apart.
To add to that, if employees only hear updates through rumors rather than official channels, they may feel excluded and frustrated.
An extensive fear of failure
One of the major signs of a toxic work environment is an extensive fear of failure. If employees feel their jobs are on the line for making a mistake, stress levels immediately go into overdrive.
Worst still, in toxic working environments where bullying is rife, employees may also be fearful to raise concerns, instead choosing to suffer in silence.
For instance, if employees are frequently publicly criticized for their mistakes, they probably won’t bother to ask questions in staff meetings or reach out to their manager for support when needed. This ultimately results in fast burnout and often lingering mental health issues, even long after they’ve left the company.
It’s important that employees know their voice can be heard and not met with unfair pushback or ridicule. A positive working environment will feel supportive, not scary.
Unmotivated coworkers
Take a look at your employees. Do they seem unmotivated in the office? If they become overwhelmed with too much work, productivity will likely dip.
Burnt-out employees can also pass the same stress on to their teammates, especially when the rest of them have to take on more work to make up for their lack of enthusiasm.
One of the best examples of toxic culture to watch out for is when several employees consistently miss deadlines or put in minimal effort, yet management never addresses it.
This means other team members will be forced to pick up the slack, which would only lead to resentment and burnout.
Role confusion and dysfunction
Employees who are uncertain about their roles and responsibilities often make mistakes or disengage from their roles altogether.
For example, if two employees are unknowingly assigned to the same project while another important task goes undone, a deadline is missed, then the team members blame each other for the confusion rather than poor management.
This is why task distributions should be well-structured, and each role must be clearly defined by the manager.
How to address workplace toxicity
What should you do if you realize that your workplace has turned toxic? Firstly, don’t panic; small issues can be addressed and resolved quickly if management supports your concerns.
1. Assess the situation
Start by evaluating whether the issue is an isolated incident or part of a more disturbing pattern. If a manager has only miscommunicated once, it’s probably unlikely to happen again. However, if workers are constantly facing the same issue, it’s time to take action.
2. Communicate & plan
Next, it’s time to communicate your concerns and make a list of the exact issues that drive toxicity in the workplace. Discuss these with managers and weigh practical solutions that can best address the issues at the root.
If possible, involve employees in meetings or conduct surveys to get a better grasp of the scope and depth of the problem. Just make sure there are reporting mechanisms where they’ll feel safe and protected against potential retaliation.
3. Roll out policies against toxicity
Set expectations with no exemptions for all employees and managers. Make sure they understand the consequences in detail for toxic behaviors, such as bullying, microaggression, harassment, and power play.
Likewise, reward behaviors that promote a healthier workplace and plan for team-building activities that can help strengthen the bond among team members.
Wrapping up
From unmotivated teams to extensive fear of failure, a toxic work culture continuously impacts mental health, drives stress, and leaves workers feeling unhappy five days a week.
To protect the morale and long-term career satisfaction of employees, the key is to recognize these warning signs early and work towards cultivating a workplace that genuinely supports its people.