{"id":23086,"date":"2026-04-23T05:19:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T05:19:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/borrowingnexus.com\/?p=23086"},"modified":"2026-04-23T05:19:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T05:19:26","slug":"toxic-work-environments-how-to-improve-workplace-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/borrowingnexus.com\/?p=23086","title":{"rendered":"Toxic Work Environments: How to Improve Workplace Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We all have 24 hours in a day. And after the hours we spend sleeping, the biggest chunk of our day is spent working\u2014eight hours every weekday and another five or so on the weekend.1<\/sup>\u00a0Imagine if all that time at work felt like being trapped in a soul-sucking pit filled with busy work, disrespect and ridiculous stress. Unfortunately, that kind of toxic work environment is all too real for millions of workers. And 44% of them blame their leadership team for the toxic work culture.2<\/sup>\u00a0That\u2019s a huge wake-up call!<\/p>\n

Every business\u2014including yours\u2014either creates or accepts its workplace culture<\/strong>. When you create it, you fire up your team with positive values, clear expectations and a sense of purpose. But if you accept whatever your team dishes out, you leave room for toxic habits to creep in and take root. And unless you want 44% of your employees thinking you\u2019re the problem, you can\u2019t afford to let that happen.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why you need to understand what work culture is and why it matters. Then we\u2019ll take a look at the signs of a toxic work culture and how you can improve yours.<\/p>\n

What Is Workplace Culture and Why Is It Important?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Workplace culture, also called company culture, is the collective attitudes and behaviors of your organization.<\/strong> It\u2019s how your company does things\u2014and it\u2019s not one-size-fits-all. You get to choose what\u2019s most important to your company\u2014values like excellence in the ordinary, focused intensity and unified teamwork. Then you can hire folks who share those values and motivate your team to protect them as you grow.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re already bending over backwards every day to keep your business moving full speed ahead, you may wonder if culture really matters. The short answer is yes<\/em>. Workplace culture isn\u2019t some fluffy\u00a0HR rah-rah tactic that makes more work for you. A healthy company culture frees you and your team to do work you love and have a more positive impact on your customers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The way your team experiences your business has a major<\/em> impact on how effective they are in their roles. It\u2019s worth pausing for a quick cuture checkup to gauge how your culture is doing.<\/p>\n

A miserable work environment (maybe even what you\u2019d call a hostile work environment) is bad for your business\u2019 brand and growth potential. It\u2019s also lousy for your team members\u2019 productivity and mental health.\u00a0The opposite is true too\u2014a healthy culture keeps your team happy and engaged in their roles, which helps your business grow. In fact, businesses with the highest employee engagement are 23% more profitable than those with low employee engagement.3<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n

With all that in mind, you can\u2019t afford to turn a blind eye to your work environment. So let\u2019s be crystal clear on the symptoms of a toxic work environment. Then you can prevent it from spreading into your business.<\/p>\n

10 Characteristics of a Toxic Work Culture<\/h2>\n
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  1. Team members don\u2019t feel safe to communicate openly with their leaders.<\/li>\n
  2. Passive, aggressive or passive-aggressive communication is the norm.<\/li>\n
  3. Illegal, dishonest or unethical behaviors\u00a0are tolerated.<\/li>\n
  4. Turnover and team member absenteeism are high.<\/li>\n
  5. Morale is low.<\/li>\n
  6. Leaders pressure their team members to work long hours, not take vacation days, and neglect work-life balance.<\/li>\n
  7. Team members fear failure or being fired without warning.<\/li>\n
  8. Gossip, cliques and work-related drama go unchecked.<\/li>\n
  9. You have so many poor-performing donkeys on your team that you can\u2019t attract thoroughbreds.<\/li>\n
  10. Leaders use a transactional, micromanaging style of leadership instead of inspiring and motivating their team through transformational or servant leadership.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Examples of Great Workplace Culture<\/h2>\n

    Now that you know what you don\u2019t<\/em> want in your company, what\u2019s a healthy model to shoot for? Here are some examples of thriving workplace cultures:<\/p>\n

    Zappos<\/strong><\/p>\n

    This online shoe giant consistently gets ranked as one of the best corporate cultures in America\u2014and that doesn\u2019t happen by accident. When describing its work environment, Zappos said, \u201cWe\u2019ve learned that if you identify your company\u2019s core values, hire by them, onboard team members by them, and truly live by them, then your business is on a long-term path to success, profit and growth.\u201d From its hiring practices to customer service to work environment, Zappos reinforces the company\u2019s core values.<\/p>\n

    BELAY<\/strong><\/p>\n

    BELAY was named one of Inc. <\/em>magazine\u2019s Best Workplaces of 2021 and listed in FlexJobs\u2019 Top 100 Companies to Watch for Remote Jobs in 2023. The virtual staffing firm has built an engaged team and award-winning culture\u2014even while working 100% remote. BELAY knows how workplace culture is built: with values, not gimmicks. \u201c[Our culture is] not Ping-Pong tables, fully stocked beer fridges, and nap pods,\u201d BELAY explained on their website. \u201cWe instill our mission and values of gratitude, teamwork, vision, passion, fun and God into every one of our nearly 1,200 remote workforce team members.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Ramsey Solutions<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Yes, Ramsey Solutions is known for our culture too\u2014one that attracts crazy-talented thoroughbreds who work and<\/em> play hard on a serious mission of hope. The company\u2019s culture is built on values like:<\/p>\n