Toxic Workplace—It’s 10 AM and No One Has Cried Yet?
Not an uncommon site at a company I spent nearly three years at. The CEO took perverse pleasure in making senior executives break down during executive staff meetings.
I enjoy observing post comments and likes. What has captured my attention is posts on the toxic workplace. Articles and memes that address mental health in the office, “bad” bosses, and toxic co-workers can receive thousands of likes and hundreds of comments—far more than most posts.
Much like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok; Linkedin has animal pics that get hundreds of positive interactions. After all, there’s nothing quite so moving as an owl spreading her wings to protect her young from a driving downpour. We need these poignant interludes in our day; especially given what our days may hold for us. They remind us of the collective-our humanity.
We see veiled and often unwelcome political commentary—generally frowned upon on Linkedin and better, if not more vehemently, received on other social media platforms. Here, they draw comments that range from polite agreement to barb-honed disagreement, but in the overall scope of Linkedin discourse, draw relatively few interactions.
Engine of Well-Being or Toxic Workplace?
The Office of The Surgeon General issued a framework for workplace mental health and well-being outlined in this infographic on the Five Essentials for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being (2024). The fact that the Surgeon General finds it necessary to address toxic workplaces is a sure sign that we are on the wrong path.
“Centered on the worker’s voice and equity, these Five Essentials support workplaces as engines of well-being. Each essential is grounded in two human needs, shared across industries and roles. Creating a plan to enact these practices can help strengthen the essentials of workplace well‑being.”
Lovely, but utopic?
Take the Toxic Workplace Challenge
I challenge you to take a close look at the above chart, grab a highlighter, and work through each component. Ask yourself some tough questions.
Do I feel like I’m treated with dignity?
Do I feel I have meaning?
Do I feel like I matter?
Do the same with each section, and approach them in terms of how you “feel”. It doesn’t matter how your co-workers feel. In fact, I can’t think of a less safe group of people with which to have such discussions. Yet, they are often our first go-to. Why? We are looking to validate our own feelings—a reality check, so to speak. You don’t need to validate your feelings, and you don’t need permission to have your feelings. Feelings are feelings. Period.
Speaking Personally
I witnessed one of my marketing co-workers carried way by the men in white coats—literally. Her breakdown was triggered by our senior vice president who ruled over her domain of four marketing professionals like an ice queen. After replacing her administrative assistant with another that bore the same name as herself, she forced the employee to change her name. Eight professionals circulated into and out of her four-person staff in less than a year.
The CEO of this same company determined that an executive staff meeting was not a successful staff meeting unless he made a grown man cry. I’ll never forget the day that it was my boss’s turn. He was a successful, kind man. He retired shortly thereafter.
The three-member executive team of this medical manufacturing company had created such a toxic workplace that when they were ready to sell the company, the stories of their exploits were so widely known that several of the purchase offers contained provisos that either one or none of this team would be part of the deal.
There are more stories: It’s been a long career.
Linkedin Members Creatively Weigh In On Life in Toxic Workplaces
Useful Infographics posted the following on January 14, 2025, crediting Natalia Cano. This post received 11,567 likes , 363 comments and 1,989 reposts. I find that telling.
This is how we should feel at the end of the day. Cared for, valued, encouraged, rewarded, safe, and yes, even forgiven.
Below, Jean Kang’s simple meme (below) drew 5,277 likes, 328 comments and 398 reposts. The message seems clear. We humans value being respected more than titles or money.
Stephanie Costi posted this a couple of weeks ago to the tune of 6,302 likes, 1,656 comments and 379 reposts. Thanks, Stephanie.
The Toxic Employee
It isn’t always about having or being a “bad” boss. Sometimes it’s about failing to recognize and manage toxic employees. On the other hand, toxic bosses breed toxic employees. Anna Chernyshova illustrated this problem with a meme found in numerous places on the Internet. Her post received 14,875 likes, 1,540 comments and 1,172 reposts.
Toxic Workplaces Come With Stiff Economic Price Tags
So, why the recap of Linkedin posting stats? With few other subjects drawing this level of interaction, it is clear that the workplace is broken. Toxic workplaces are burdened with stiff financial penalties that astute companies should examine more closely. They may discover that that charismatic personality may simply not be worth the increased healthcare costs and absenteeism due to stress-related physical and mental illness..
In A Nutshell, Toxic Workplace Injustice Is Expensive.
The State of Workplace Injustice 2024 Report from 937 Strategy Group quantifies the cost of toxic workplaces. You can download the report here.
12% of employees intend to quit their jobs due to suffering from one of the top types of workplace injustice.
The average overall cost of turnover per person is $55,793.01
In 2022, 51 million voluntarily left their jobs.
Voluntary turnover due to injustice costs $112 billion a year in direct costs, and an additional $227 billion in indirect costs such as reduced productivity and lost organizational knowledge.
Not Everyone Leaves
Many stay in jobs where narcissistic bosses rule the roost. Whether it be out of fear of change, worry they could end up in a worse situation, or economic concerns; they stay—quietly disengaging until nearly 34% of their salary disappears down a swirling drain of silent despair and reduced productivity. A 2017 Gallup State of the American Workplace Report asserts that the total loss to the US workforce is $607.7 billion.
One final stat to stew on from Anna Chernyshova
Train people well enough so they can leave.
Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.
With 21,566 likes, 708 comments and 1,518 reposts, it’s fair to say the workplace is a far cry from the Surgeon General’s vision of “engines of well-being”.
Please visit the above-mentioned Linkedin contributors. Their insights are timely and eye opening.
Kylie Addison Sabra — SABRAWORKS, LLC
Linkedin links.
Anna Chernyshova, Natalia Cano, Useful Infographics, Jean Kang, Stephanie Costi
You can see more writings by Kylie Sabra such as: Sustainable Food Solutions: Building a Better System