Your workplace is toxic. Who’s to blame?
“Thank god my job offers mental health benefits so I can talk to a therapist about my job destroying my will to live.” — someecards.com
The internet and social media are littered with memes that illustrate poor workplace conditions. From Michael Scott to Bill Lumberg, they use humor as a coping mechanism for the stress and frustration associated with a toxic culture. While funny on the surface, these are only empathetic little bandages grounded in a darker truth.
Gallup research shows an alarming 70% of professionals have a negative experience of work based on employee engagement levels. With disrespectful managers, bullying and even the rise in reports on sexual harassment, it’s no surprise to see that the workplace can cause a huge amount of stress on our lives and threaten our well-being.
Where does the proverbial finger need to be pointed? We have employees who consistently break values and policies, with no repercussion. Managers abuse their power by delegating their work entirely onto others. Is it the CEO with their head in the clouds, unable to see the ground?
In Lead Your Tribe, Love Your Work, the author, Piyush Patel explains that everyone plays a part in the failures or successes of an organization. Not all blame is equally dispersed, but everyone has a varying level of accountability that contributes to the overall health or sickness of the company culture.
