🚨 Have you ever worked with a toxic coworker? Chances are, you have.
We recently wrote about Flexjob’s work on toxicity in the workplace. According to another survey by FlexJobs, 84% of professionals say they’ve worked with at least one toxic colleague—and 27% say they’ve dealt with more than one. Let that sink in.
So, what does “toxic” actually look like at work? The most commonly reported behaviors include:
🔻 Excessive complaining and negativity 🔻 Unprofessional conduct 🔻 Not being a team player 🔻 Manipulative or self‑serving behavior 🔻 Lack of accountability 🔻 Passive‑aggressive communication 🔻 Gossiping and blame‑shifting 🔻 Poor communication and weak boundaries 🔻 Taking credit where it isn’t earned 🔻 Discriminatory or sexually inappropriate comments 🔻 Gaslighting
The takeaway? Toxicity doesn’t thrive by accident—it grows where respect isn’t consistently modeled or enforced.
Organizations that want to reduce the impact of toxic behavior must: âś… develop a culture of respect by setting a norm of respectful behavior âś… Ensure leaders model those behaviors daily âś… Address issues early instead of letting them fester
A culture of respect isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s a business imperative.
Let’s not normalize toxic workplaces. Let’s fix them.
👉 What behaviors do you think leaders should address first to reduce workplace toxicity?
Source: Report: Toxic Workplaces are Pervasive and Harmful | FlexJobs