A toxic culture inflicts damage that often remains unseen. It seeps into the everyday lives and mindsets of employees, corroding morale, productivity, and trust. While the manifestations of a toxic culture are frequently alarming, the real costs tend to accumulate gradually over time.
In Singapore’s competitive business landscape, short-term gains frequently take priority over long-term sustainability. However, research shows that toxic cultures exact a significant financial toll. Studies estimate the costs of turnover alone due to unhealthy cultures to be over $150,000 per employee in Southeast Asia. This figure rises considerably if high-performing employees are leaving. Reduced productivity, increased health care claims, sabotage, and legal issues also pad the price tag.
Yet toxic cultures persist for many reasons, not least because their costs are rarely directly visible or felt by leadership.
Subtle microaggressions, harassment, and abuse gradually wear down optimism and morale. Talented individuals may start working just hard enough to get by, creativity suffers, and innovation stalls.
Before a toxic culture’s pernicious effects condemn an organization, it’s difficult to recognize the disease, not just the symptoms. Like a slow-acting poison, damage accumulates until it’s nearly impossible to recover. However, with awareness of the hidden costs permeating every aspect of work life, the justification for tolerating toxicity vanishes.
While remediating a toxic culture is never easy, its costs make perseverance imperative. Leadership must acknowledge responsibility, implement accountability, promote inclusiveness, and rebuild trust. The future well-being and success of the organization depend on it.
While a toxic culture may seem expedient or even beneficial in the short term, it is always more costly than building an ethical and high-performing culture. There are no shortcuts when it comes to a constructive work environment and a culture of integrity. Obscene profits cannot compensate for a company’s soul. By opening eyes to the hidden costs of toxicity, every organization can find the will and means to choose a better way.
Remedies
Some of the remedies companies can consider include:
- Educate leadership on the hidden costs of toxicity and the benefits of fostering an ethical, high-performing culture. Help them understand the financial, legal, productivity, talent, and reputational costs of maintaining the status quo.
- Conduct an audit to assess the depth and scope of toxicity. Get input from employees at all levels, and consider working with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultants for an objective view.
- Implement mandatory training on topics like unconscious bias, inclusion, empathy, and bystander intervention. Provide resources for ongoing learning and discussion.
- Update policies and procedures to promote transparency and accountability. Enforce consequences for misconduct, but also promote a ” see something, say something” mindset without fear of retaliation.
- Consider designating an ombudsperson or counselling resource for confidential support. They can also conduct independent assessments of issues.
- Partner with workplace harassment consultants to get guidance and additional training resources for staff.
- Launch open forums, town halls, focus groups, and exit interviews to keep dialogue ongoing. Be responsive to issues raised and share updates on actions taken.
- Build a culture of co-creation by setting up internal task forces and roundtables. Involve employees at different levels of the organization to boost engagement and innovation.
- Refocus performance management on company values, teamwork, innovation, and DEI objectives rather than short-term results. Adjust incentives and leadership benchmarks accordingly.
- Set an example through your own behavior and decision making. Model the kind of culture and community you hope to foster. Apologize when mistakes are made and take responsibility for any personal toxicity that has been exhibited.
- Be patient and give changes time to take effect. Transforming culture and rebuilding trust take diligence, consistency, and long-term commitment. Progress will not happen overnight.