Entrepreneurs and managers need to exhibit Leadership Skills at the workplace. This is essential to create a positive work environment. However, leaders and staff members are likely to suffer from vital issues due to negative environments. Besides tarnishing a business’s reputation, it also can cause a company’s downfall.
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10 key signs that exhibit toxic Business’s Work Environment
1. Culture of Cronyism: You might consider something to be a ‘safe’ culture. Such culture of cronyism is considered to be toxic. You should not bypass high performers just to promote your former colleagues or friends. Showing favoritism will only create negative environment. Hence, boost openness, equality practices and seek diverse perspectives.
2. Turnover: This is an obvious symptom of harmful work environment. People tend to leave their bosses and not their jobs. The reason is toxic bosses drive good people away. Hence, before matters reach to such levels, it will be better to analyze the situation and take necessary steps. There should be effective communication between the management and employees. Your team should know whom to contact if they experience unwanted issues.
3. Gossip: Often, employees might complain to their peers instead of seeking appropriate channels to solve them. Some consider office gossip to be part of the work environment which is not true. Gossip generally takes place if members fail to communicate properly with one another. It is necessary to address the issue immediately and sort it out by discussing it face to face. If not heard, then there is bound to be dissatisfaction and complaints, leading to workplace negativity. Leadership Skills come into play here.
4. Fear of retribution: Even from cultural viewpoint, workplace toxicity should be fixed. In case a problem is faced, then it should be fixed at the earliest. Leaders should find out valuable time to chat with their team members and not make them wait. Organizational structure and Company Culture should support honest, open communication, but without fear of tarnished reputation or retribution.
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5. Reserved team members: Non-expressive team members should be given more attention. Prolonged silence period might indicate toxic environment. Healthy teams are found to express themselves. Also, they question, talk, challenge, participate and even argue. If none of the above occurs, then chances are presence of toxic environment leader.
6. Troubling body language or behavior: Body language tends to indicate fear. Find out if your employees laugh, smile, engage formally, asks questions to get clarifications or challenge decisions. Any of the above including small behaviors might depict toxic environment.
7. Not confident in leadership: Loose gossip might cause any business to close down. It demolishes trust in colleagues and faith in management. At the same time, it also undermines confidence present in the organization while creating differences amongst team members. Hence, leaders are to address the source and find out amicable solutions to underlying problems. Otherwise, Business Collaboration gets affected.
8. Lack of trust among colleagues: Employees might exhibit a lack of trust in themselves. It could mean team members disrespecting one another. It leads to a lack of commitment and dysfunctional teamwork. In a high trust Company Culture, employees feel comfortable seeking help from others without worrying about disclosing their weaknesses.
9. Disengaged employees: It shows cultural divide in your organization. Leaders should try to reach out to their team members and communicate effectively. 1:1 weekly meetings should be scheduled with junior members. Quality time should be spent to know each individual personally.
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10. Inflexible communication: Open communication is essential to ensure team success and effective Business Collaboration. Leaders should not be selective communicators. Rather, adopt diverse, adaptable communication platform for accommodating how employees should address you, be it in writing or verbally.
Thus, getting to know the above signs will ensure weeding out toxic environment at the workplace. It will also help create a highly productive and creative Business’s Work Environment.
Source: Cosmo Politian
