Have We Accepted Toxic Workplaces as the New Normal?
Some people think toxic workplaces are now normal and there’s nothing you can do about it. Are they correct?
“Most companies are toxic,” said a friend of mine recently, “it’s the new now; people are pushed hard to meet targets and become bitchy as a result. A job is no longer a social thing, it’s a nasty situation. It’s no more than a tool now to earn money, most important thing is what happens at home.”
So is he right?
I wasn’t so sure, as I’ve experienced some great places to work. And workplace toxicity is a hot topic at the moment, with many companies focusing on getting rid of it.
However, I’m a sample size of just one, so I asked a few people I know for their views. Here are a few comments:
“It’s not toxic as such, we get people being bitchy every now and then, and the lads sometimes make sexist comments, but we nip that in the bud straight away.” Large company, part of a massive global group
“We have some people within the company who are toxic, but the culture isn’t toxic at all. We’ve spent a lot of time and effort eradicating it from our place.” Medium-sized specialist firm
