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A recent BBC report revealed the unfortunate news that remote work doesn’t necessarily provide people relief from a toxic workplace environment. A company’s toxic culture can just follow employees home.
That’s an unsettling thought.
But the potential upside in this equation is that, if a toxic culture follows people home, can’t a great corporate culture do the same?
I think so.
Let’s take a look at the impact a toxic culture has on companies and their employees, and contrast that with what a positive culture can accomplish.
Toxicity impacts employee wellbeing.
When employees dread the start of the work day, both their mental and physical health suffer. The stress becomes too much and productivity lags. They call in sick because they are sick, or they call in sick simply because they want a momentary escape from their situation. Compare that to a positive workplace culture, where employees look forward to coming to work, brainstorming with teammates, and working together to solve problems. At Mustang Engineering, the company I helped found, we valued our people and told them so in many ways. Employees want to feel appreciated and that doesn’t change even when most of your interaction takes place over Zoom.
Toxicity usually comes from the top, then spreads.
Company cultures are contagious. If the top executives model callous, indifferent or abusive attitudes toward employees, others within the organization start to pick up on that and imitate it. They just assume, perhaps rightfully, that this is the accepted culture. A great corporate culture usually comes from the top as well. Those in leadership positions must model the actions they want to see emulated at lower levels. They must communicate what’s expected and take steps to build camaraderie and a sense of team. When workers are remote, leadership may need to redouble those efforts so team members don’t feel isolated, but still feel part of a greater purpose, even when they are physically part.
Toxicity drives off bad employees, but also great ones.
It’s difficult to retain employees when a day on the job drains their spirits. High-performing employees will have other opportunities and head out the door. One of the many reasons it’s important to have a positive corporate culture is that the best employees will want to stay around, and recruiting employees becomes easier because as word circulates, quality employees will want to join your team. We all spend so much of our lives on the job that it’s crucial we like our co-workers and enjoy working with them. When you don’t, that’s when you start not liking your job. You find yourself counting the days until you can either move on or retire.
Most people appreciate feeling as though they’re part of a team, but a sense of “team spirit” is something they won’t find in a toxic workplace culture.
But you can create that team spirit at your workplace, whether people are operating remotely or in the office. Find what makes your company or department different, and energize your people around that concept. It will pay off in ways you never imagined.