Identifying a toxic workplace culture
How employees feel about the workplace is something closely tied to business success – even though it may not seem to be the case. Think about it: If staff aren't happy to come into work every day, it's going to bleed into their approach to their job.
Identifying the signs of a toxic workplace culture can be difficult, however. Beyond just workloads, factors like when people leave and how often they socialise with each other are key gauges of the health of the workplace.
At the end of the work day, is there a race to leave the office?
Let's take a look at how businesses can build an accurate picture.
When staff leave: Do they race to get out the door?
At the end of the work day, is there a race to leave the office? If staff are hurrying to get home, it's a good sign the workplace isn't worth sticking around in. Staff may also work long hours to manage projects, so this may not necessarily be an indicator of the workplace culture. Businesses need to look for signs such as staff getting in early and hanging around to wait for colleagues.
Turnover is high
If you're constantly posting job advertisements, but you seem to have the same number of staff at the end of the process, it may be time to take a good look at the culture of the office. High turnover is one of the strongest indicators of how the business is doing – both in terms of whether or not workloads are too high and if it's a good place to work.
Do staff socialise even when they don't have to?
Water cooler conversations have long been a mainstay of businesses, and they're unsurprisingly also a useful way to assess company culture. How much voluntary socialising do your staff take part in? Do they want to spend time together during the day? Take a look outside work too. If staff don't schedule social events your environment may not be as healthy as it could be.
It can be hard to figure out where to start when correcting company culture, but identifying the signs is the best first step.
If you're looking to improve your workplace culture, don't hesitate to get in touch with the team at Flexi Personnel today.
