Toxic workplace culture: How to spot the early signs
Toxic workplace culture doesn’t always show up in obvious ways.
You might not see shouting matches or formal grievances. But you might see decisions being made in silos, simmering tension in meetings, or team members slowly disengaging.
These early signs often go unaddressed. Then, one day, it feels like things have unravelled and it’s hard to pin down how it got to that point.
To help with that, I’ve pulled together a simple Toxic Workplace Culture Health Check, a practical reflection tool for leaders, HR and OD professionals, or anyone working with teams.
What it covers
The tool includes 20 indicators based on research and real-world experience of what healthy (and unhealthy) teams tend to look and feel like.
It covers:
Everyday signs in behaviour and morale
Patterns of conflict or disengagement
Key behavioural warning signs
HR and leadership indicators that suggest underlying culture issues
It’s not another long diagnostic, and it's not intended to be a thorough assessment of every aspect of your culture. Just a clear starting point for spotting what needs attention.
How it helps
You can use it to:
Take stock of how things are really going
Sense-check whether culture, behaviours and morale might be on a decline
Start a grounded conversation with your team or leadership colleagues
Identify small issues before they become harder to reverse
It’s a quick tool, designed to help you focus attention where it’s most needed.
Download it here for free:
If you try it, let me know how you get on. I hope you find it useful.
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