Avoiding a toxic colleague prolongs and deepens the dysfunction they create
Address it head-on by conducting a culture assessment which allows others to be heard and surfaces the potentially harmful behavior. Everyone will thank you.
Interesting article I read recently about this topic in HR Grapevine:
Several employers have hit headlines recently over toxic workplace cultures.
Culture Trips’ CEO, for example, has come under immense scrutiny for creating a culture of ‘fear and constant turnover’. The firm has quickly gained a reputation as being one of the most toxic workplaces. But it seems that it is not the only firm to have come unstuck by a toxic culture label.
Amnesty International lost a large portion of its senior leadership team amid allegations that the workplace was plagued with a “toxic” culture. Yet, as is evident in both of these instances, working environments don’t become toxic on their own; cultures become toxic because of people working within them who express poisonous character traits and behaviours.
So, what are traits of toxic colleagues?
Toxic behaviour can come in numerous forms. The most common traits can include backstabbing, gossiping and spreading rumours, intentionally undermining people and solely prioritising personal gain over team or company goals. Professor Christine Naschberger, who specialises in HR management, previously told HR Grapevine that toxic colleagues are often aggressive and “attack co-workers in a physical as well as verbal [way]”. Given that toxic employees are able to change their behaviour, it can be difficult to spot it initially but there are some tell-tale signs.
Destroying teams
According to Harvard Business Review, toxic team members have destructive powers because they are able to erode the “team brand”. Unfortunately, this means that the rest of the team are often tarred with the same brush and outsiders make negative assumptions about the team as a whole.
Tarnishing team culture
After a while, the team will likely just put up with the saboteur’s poor behaviour. If this is the case then it could start to rub off on them the longer that they allow the toxic behaviour to be tolerated. What may have started off as a well-intended team could be completely ruined by the attitudes and behaviours of an individual.
Creating unneeded drama
Causing drama and distraction is a common activity for toxic colleagues. They like to suck the positive energy out of the room and team members spend time looking over their shoulder rather than tackling their growing workloads.
What about when toxic behaviour comes from a leader?
The worst instance is when toxic behaviour comes from the top as it is almost inescapable for the rest of the team. “Toxic leaders get to a position of leadership because they are good at that and they can deliver but at the cost of others,” Frances Merrylees, HR Director at ITV explained. And because they are so good at manipulating and managing their persona in front of others, their toxic traits can largely go undetected.
So, what can HR do to deal with toxic employees?
Merrylees added that filtering out toxic traits prior to employing a person is far easier said than done. That said, she explained that there are things HR can do to cut out toxic leaders from the recruitment process. The HR honcho encouraged hiring managers to ensure that candidate shortlists meet different team members who can help suss them out. By doing this, colleagues can swap thoughts on the candidate in question and gauge a better understanding of the personality behind the candidate.
Harvard Business Review advised employees to be straight up and have a conversation with their toxic colleague because they cannot assume that they will realise the error of their ways independently. Enlighten them on the impact that their behaviour is having on you personally but be sure to ask for feedback on yourself too so it doesn’t seem like you are out to get them.
Talking to someone that you trust, like your boss, can also help. Suggest that they hold a team meeting where some of these issues can be raised and discussed. This shouldn’t be used to single out toxic employees, it should be used to encourage authentic interaction which allows employees to see things from different perspectives.
While dealing with toxic behaviour is clearly within HR’s remit, Johnathon Parsons, HR Director at Triumph Motorcycles previously told HR Grapevine that dealing with toxic employees should be a shared responsibility with the senior leadership team. “I certainly think that if the behaviour of an individual is a blind spot for an organisation then it’s critical for an HR Director to have the courage to put their hands up, either to the CEO or a colleague,” he concluded.