The pandemic caused a significant shift in employee workplace priorities and values, causing workers to quit their jobs at near-record levels to search for better (and ample) opportunities elsewhere. Work-life balance, learning and development opportunities, flexible schedules, and a supportive environment are more important than a high salary with good benefits to many employees. Alternatively, toxic work environments that foster burnout, high stress, and hustle culture are no longer tolerated. They are the leading reason so many employees jump ship to find new, healthier opportunities. How can organizations that are experiencing high rates of talent attrition course correct? The answer is simple: through culture. Your company culture is the key to preventing workplace toxicity and is how your organization will attract and keep the best talent out there.

Corporate Culture: The Bottom Line Of The Great Resignation

Forty-seven million people left their company and position over 12-months, known as the Great Resignation, most didn’t leave to find a company that would pay them a higher salary. According to a recent MIT Sloan Management Review article, toxic culture was 10 times more important than problems with compensation and the most significant predictor of employee turnover. According to a recent survey, the pandemic has caused a large shift in workers’ priorities, with the majority believing work-life balance is more important than a high-paying salary. How does this relate to toxic culture as the number one reason for workers quitting their jobs? It’s all about creating suitable work environments that take into account and accommodate the needs and preferences of your employees.

Toxic Culture is Driving the Great Resignation – Here’s How to Change Your Values

Changing an organization’s culture is one of the most challenging efforts to undertake. It requires dedicated, consistent, and planned messaging and actions. But ensuring your company has a positive culture is crucial to long-term success. A good culture attracts quality staff, and a bad culture will encourage talented staff to walk out. A strong culture creates employees that become brand advocates. Additionally, high-quality talent prioritizes and proactively seeks out companies with an exceptional culture. Strong company culture is your best unseen competitive advantage, allowing you to attract and retain the best talent. 

​​How to Prevent Workplace Toxicity and Build a Healthy Culture

For decades corporations have only focused on one thing: Getting. Work. Done. No matter the cost, often at the expense of employee well-being. Employees are now saying: No. More. And it seems a shift in culture is occurring. According to an analysis of S&P 500 earnings calls, the frequency with which CEOs talk about issues of equity, fairness, and inclusion has increased 658% since 2018. But talk is not enough. It is no longer about just getting the work done. Leaders must evolve compliance programs to protect employees and build cultures that reinforce safe, compliant, and fair communications. Explore the problem of toxicity in the workplace today and learn about one method of prevention through just-in-time communications training.

How Managers Can Change Toxic Workplaces And Build Effective Teams

Toxic environments are characterized by gossip and unhealthy competition, and the responsibility put back on the behavior of team members. But toxicity is usually created, fostered, and advanced by toxic leaders and dysfunctional organizational cultures. Micromanagement, unrealistic expectations, failure to reward or recognize performance, and not addressing toxic workers are a few ways leaders contribute to negative work culture. To build effective teams, leaders must get honest with themselves and listen to their teams. They must strive to create positive workplaces where employees feel safe to advance their careers and exercise autonomy without fear of retribution, burnout, inappropriate behavior, or unfair performance reviews. This article highlights the importance of corporate culture and offers several things leaders can do to fix toxic workplaces and build effective teams.