Julie A. Christiansen is a leading authority on anger and emotional mastery. She is known as "The Anger Lady" and founded the Anger Solutions Program, the best evidence-based alternative to anger management. She is the author of The Rise of Rage (2024), and the host of the Free domology podcast.
Toxic employees can wreak havoc on an organization. From the sky-high costs of losing and replacing good talent, to the strain on employee benefits, union disputes, or even wrongful dismissal lawsuits—let alone the priceless loss of peace—a toxic work environment is a serious threat to productivity, passion, and profitability. In a previous article, we broke down six types of toxic behavior: The Steam Roller, The Social Loafer, The Ideas Thief, The Narcissist, The Bully Victim, and The Abuser. In this article, we'll dive into practical macro-level and micro-level strategies for leaders and HR professionals to cleanse the workplace of these toxic influences.
Intervening on a Macro level
1. Be proactive
Employers, HR managers, and leaders have a responsibility to do what is necessary to support those productive, high-performing employees, and to remediate toxic behaviours before they poison the work environment.
Proactivity is not the same as micro-management! Exerting too much control over the day-to-day runs counter to cultivating a peaceful, highly productive workspace. When employees feel like their every move is being monitored and critiqued, it creates an atmosphere rife with stress and anxiety, resulting in reduced engagement, lower productivity, and ultimately a decline in profits.
Proactivity means being engaged and aware of what is happening on the floor in real-time. Too often, it is easy for managers or leaders to get caught up in their own workload, keep their heads down, and ignore the day-to-day activities in the workplace, but that “hands-off” approach may leave room for the weeds of negativity and toxicity to grow and choke morale and damage the bottom line.
2. Investigate promptly and thoroughly
It’s essential that investigations are fair and comprehensive. Employees need to feel that their concerns are being heard and taken seriously. Keep a close eye on what’s happening in the workplace, and when something doesn’t seem right, ask questions to get a clearer picture. Approach every situation with an open mind, free of bias. There’s no need to be accusatory; simply checking in on any questionable interactions is an easy and non-confrontational way to keep everyone accountable for how they communicate at work.
When an employee makes a claim of bullying or harassment, take it seriously. Asking, “What did you do?” causes feelings of self-blame for the target – rather, you can ask, “How did you respond? Were there witnesses? How often has this happened? Did you request that the behaviour discontinue?” And, most importantly, ask, “How has these interactions impacted your ability to do your job – how do you feel about yourself and about working here because of this?”
Investigations go beyond asking questions of the target, and the one accused of the toxic behaviours. You must also speak to witnesses. Were there security cameras that might have recorded the incidents? Watch those. Ensure that those who were witness to the events feel safe in coming forward. If your organization has a reputation for punishing those who call out toxic behaviour rather than those engaging in toxic behaviours, no one will feel safe to report, and you will instead see an exodus of good workers from your workspace.
3. Cultivate a culture of community
Business owners, employers, managers, and leaders must be intentional about creating a culture of community that goes deeper than quarterly bonuses or branded merch for the team. To save money on live, on-site training, many large companies have turned to learning management systems that enable workers to engage in “just-in-time” learning through virtual platforms. While this is a cost-efficient and time-efficient solution, it cannot be the only one. Employees must be held accountable to demonstrate they not only completed the learning modules but that they understand and embrace the culture of the organization. Do they grasp the mission and vision? Are they committed to the organizational values that include words like teamwork, inclusivity, diversity, and collaboration?
Team members need frequent reminders to engage in clear, empathetic, and collaborative communication. They should not be expected to “just know” how to communicate effectively. Invest in equipping employees at all levels with the verbal and written communication skills they need to be successful and continue to coach as needed rather than saving all the feedback for the annual performance review. These kinds of skills are best acquired through on-site training, where they can interact with their peers, practice their skills, and self-correct in real-time.
Finally, reward your workers when you catch them doing things right. The recognition need not be public or a grand gesture. An email or a notecard expressing your appreciation for their efforts can go a long way toward reinforcing desirable behaviors.
Micro-level communication tools & strategic interventions
4. Coach instead of challenge
What do you say when a Steam Roller attempts to hijack another employee’s contribution by saying theirs is better? It is important to remember that Steam Rollers often deliver a lot of bluster for their ideas, but often the ideas are short on substance. Rather than openly pointing out the challenges with the Steam Roller’s ideas (which causes them to lose face and will likely result in them taking the bluster up a notch), use a coaching approach and ask questions. “Can you explain to us, if we follow through with the plan as you have designed it, what will happen if…” “Where do you propose we get the staff, or the resources needed to complete the project on time and under budget?”
When you ask intelligent, detailed questions, and remain focused on the problem (rather than attacking the person), they will have no choice but to reconsider their own idea. If the idea has merit but lacks detailed logistics, they will go back to the drawing board to figure it out. While they are sorting out those missing pieces, the other employee’s contribution can be put back on the table for further exploration. Decisions that will impact employee morale and the company’s bottom line should never be made because one employee shouts louder than everyone else. Ultimately, it is the leader’s role to ensure that this does not happen.
5. Hold people accountable
The key word when dealing with a Social Loafer is accountability. When assigning projects to teams, leaders must be mindful of those who stay late and do more than their fair share of the work, as well as those who always appear to be busy (or are always proclaiming how busy they are) without proof of their productivity. Instead of pulling the team together and speaking to the group, assign specific tasks to each participant. Identify the strengths they have demonstrated and let them know why you are entrusting them with their role. State your expectations for each of them clearly and ensure that you reward everyone separately for their contribution as well as congratulate the whole team when the project is complete. The Social Loafer may need a few gentle reminders to stay on top of their work, and it may be worthwhile to check in with the team intermittently to ensure that no one is being overtaxed or taking on more than their share of the work.
6. Protect against the Ideas Thief
For employees/co-workers who have experienced idea theft, documentation is your friend. Ensure that your communications are all in writing and that they are date/time stamped. If you are going to share an idea, it may be safer to share it with several people rather than just one individual. It is harder to steal an idea if everyone knows it originated with someone else. The other option is to work the idea in secret. Explore possible objections and challenges with people who “have no skin in the game” before presenting it to your peers, supervisor, or manager. Again, ensure that you have everything from the sticky note where you first came up with the idea (date and time stamped) to your process documents in hand.
7. Strategies for the target and HR to use when dealing with narcissist, bully-victim, or abuser
Targets of narcissistic, bully-victim, or abusive behaviours can borrow from the previous strategies. Documentation is key! Ensure that you document conversations, arguments, aggressions, or confrontations in detail. When did it happen? Where? Who was present? Did anyone attempt to intervene? Is there any physical evidence of the encounters? Have you experienced health problems or excessive anxiety/stress because of it? Do you have records of doctor’s appointments and the physician’s findings? This information will be important to have if you wish to file a complaint or launch an investigation. Managers and HR professionals also have a duty to record and document complaints and to investigate them fully and fairly.
In any workplace, toxic behaviors can severely undermine productivity, morale, and overall organizational health. Addressing these behaviors isn't just a matter of maintaining a pleasant work environment—it's essential for the success and sustainability of the business. Leaders must take proactive steps to cultivate a positive culture, hold employees accountable, and intervene strategically when issues arise. By fostering an atmosphere of open communication, fairness, and community, and by equipping employees with the tools and support they need, leaders can effectively detoxify their workplaces. Ultimately, it's about creating an environment where all employees can thrive, ensuring that toxic behaviors are addressed swiftly and decisively to protect the organization's most valuable asset—its people. For an objective assessment of your current workplace communication processes, and to learn how to address these toxic behaviours in your organization, contact Julie Christiansen for a complimentary consultation.
Read more from Julie A. Christiansen
Julie A. Christiansen, Speaker, Author, Registered Psychotherapist, Coach
Julie Christiansen has an extensive background in mental health counselling, public speaking that spans almost 30 years. She has authored fifteen books including The Rise of Rage. Julie's personal mission is to leverage people and organizations into radical, positive, lasting change. She fulfills this purpose with passion as a keynote speaker, podcaster, psychotherapist, and executive coach.
