Toxic workplace culture is causing employees to turn down job offers
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The ‘great resignation’ has seen many businesses lose valued members of staff in the aftermath of the pandemic. This, alongside the skills shortages affecting most if not all sectors, means there has never been more pressure on organisations to understand what is truly important to their people.
From work-life balance, to trusting their employers and colleagues, positive workplace experiences are more important than ever before, yet our research shows leaders are failing to put measures in place to protect their people.
In fact, the research reveals two in five employees across the UK have experienced negative behaviour at work and 44% have witnessed problematic behaviour. This shows there is still work to be done to ensure employees aren’t experiencing problematic behaviour at work.
Leaders also need to be aware of the impact being known for having a toxic workplace culture can have on the reputation of an organisation.
Potential employees are now considering a lot more than just the job title and salary when pursuing a role. Of course, the right salary is important, but for many the most important thing is the workplace culture, and how they fit into that.
Our new research reveals that two thirds of the UK’s workforce wouldn’t accept a job with a company known for having a toxic workplace culture. In fact, almost half (46%) of employees wouldn’t apply for a job with a company that had poor online reviews, let alone accept a job.
What’s more, almost half (45%) of UK employees would leave a bad review online or warn people about applying for a job with the company due to bad culture.
A bad reputation for workplace culture can also hurt a company’s bottom line by making it harder to recruit top talent and driving away consumers and investors.
In fact, almost two-thirds of people say they wouldn’t buy from a company with a bad reputation for employee treatment, while three-quarters of investors wouldn’t invest in a company with a problematic workplace culture.
The true impact toxic workplace culture has on an organisation really shouldn’t be underestimated. From influencing future applicants and investors, to affecting the lives of those experiencing and witnessing bullying, problematic behaviour in the workplace often has a lasting impact on both an organisation and its people.
The only way organisations can reduce this risk is to commit to eradicating problematic behaviour in the workplace by putting culture at the top of their agenda. There will never be a one size fits all approach for all organisations to adhere to, however there are steps which all leaders can put in place to ensure they’re protecting their culture.
What we're reading
Latest insights from the front lines of workplace culture.
Why Whistleblowing Protections Are Not Enough
The launch of the CIISA standards marked a significant moment for the creative industries, signalling growing recognition of the need for stronger protections around bullying, harassment and misconduct across film, television and wider media environments. But in a recent article for Broadcast Now, we highlight that whistleblowing protections alone will not solve the deeper cultural issues that have allowed harmful behaviour to persist for years.
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Speaking Up in the Creative Industries – Embedding Standards in Practice
With the CIISA Standards having been in place for a year and with the introduction of the Employment Rights Act, expectations around creating a healthy and effective speak up culture are shifting. Organisations being asked to move beyond policy and demonstrate how they are creating real, effective speak-up cultures.
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From the Conference Floor: Real-World Lessons for HR Leaders
Workplace misconduct is evolving, and many HR processes are struggling to keep up. At this year’s Culture Shift Annual Conference, one thing was clear: what worked even a year ago isn’t enough anymore. In this webinar join Gemma McCall (CEO) and Charlotte Taylor (Training Manager and ED&I Specialist) as they bring the most important conversations from the conference floor into a practical session for HR, People and Compliance leaders. You’ll hear what industry experts and legal professionals are seeing right now, and what it means for how you design, communicate and manage your approach to misconduct.
Feeling inspired?
Take the first step toward preventative misconduct management with a demo of our Report + Support™ platform. We can show you how to breakdown reporting barriers with anonymous 2-way messaging, and how to act before things escalate with name-matching and pattern-spotting across our analytics dashboard.
