Dr. Laura Freebairn-Smith is the co-founder of the Organizational Performance Group. She has been a consultant for such distinguished organizations as the New York Times, Lemann Foundation, and ESPN. Her specialty is assisting leaders in realizing the full potential of their organizations.
The word “toxic” has become a buzzword in recent years. Toxic relationships, toxic families, and toxic friendships have all been covered by journalists and bloggers. The definition of toxic is something poisonous or dangerous. Perhaps it summons thoughts of illness or trauma.
Workplaces can be toxic as well. Organizations can suffer from “chronic illness” or “emergency trauma” just like people can.
How can you be aware if your workplace is “sick”? There are numerous signs that are red flags for an organization that is not healthy.
High Turnover
Everyone is talking about the “great resignation” that has followed the Covid-19 shutdown. But, consistent turnover is a sign of problems. Happy employees stay in their roles, and disgruntled employees leave in droves.
Cattiness
If petty squabbles, rumors, and unresolved conflict dominate an organization’s social structure, it creates an extremely toxic environment where very little gets accomplished.
No Joy, No Humor
If morale is so low that there’s no joy to be found in the office and no humor, it can make the days long and unfulfilling.
Lack of Leadership
When no one is steering the ship, it will start to go adrift.
Tight Finances
Companies experiencing financial hardships are the most unhealthy at all. Wrong moves are made when people are desperate. Organizations whose finances are mismanaged will circle the drain in a short time.
Working in an unhealthy environment can greatly affect a person. When your job is toxic, you will experience stress, burnout, and, when things are very bad, even PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) after you leave.
Making Your Organization “Well” Again
Let’s say you are running an organization that you notice is unhealthy. Perhaps the organization only has a few of the symptoms, and maybe it has all of them. Strong leaders will not pull the proverbial covers over their heads and ignore the obvious problems. Strong leaders will attack the issues and fight for the wellness of their businesses.
Just like when a person gets sick and seeks help, organizations need to triage their situation to find where the problems lie and find practical solutions. This all starts with effective communication. Listening to your employees and truly hearing their concerns can give you insight into what issues to address first. If your organization is unhealthy, it could be that communication is your issue. Everything builds from effective communication. Learning how to communicate well can set you on the path to organizational wellness.
Once your communication is well in hand, tackling these other areas can strip away the unhealthy aspects of your business.
– Conflict Resolution: If there is cattiness and petty fighting among your ranks, you need to have a solid conflict resolution plan to mitigate the issues. This can start with mediation efforts but may need to be escalated to eliminate problem employees if the problem isn’t resolved.
– Clear Hierarchy: In unhealthy work situations, it’s not clear who is in charge. Employees experiencing the effects of a toxic environment do not know who to turn to for help. People who are unclear about who their managers are cannot effectively do their jobs.
– Teamwork and Camaraderie: We spend so much of our lives at work that it can be challenging if there is no foundation of teamwork or camaraderie with fellow employees. Organizations need healthy competition and a strong team environment to thrive.
– Responsibility and Accountability: When no one takes responsibility for mistakes, and there is no accountability, this can plunge morale to the lowest depths. It starts from the top and trickles down. If the CEOs and upper-level managers are involved in harmful actions and are never held accountable, that lack of accountability becomes a tenet of their organization.
– Productivity– Employees who are satisfied with their jobs and working within a healthy environment will be productive. Countless studies have made this abundantly clear. Once things start to move south and toxicity creeps in, production will grind to a halt.
– Empowerment– Employees need to feel heard and will need motivation from time to time. Recognizing accomplishments and empowering employees to take on more complicated tasks or leadership roles are signs of a healthy work environment.
– Financial Fitness – An organization’s “numbers” are like a thermometer, indicating whether a business is healthy and thriving or starting to look ailing and unwell. If your finances are in rough shape, it indicates that your organization is likely not long for this world without some major changes.
Dr. Laura Freebairn-Smith is a partner with the Organization Performance Group. Her group addresses organizational shortcomings and helps bring business back to “wellness” again. Dr. Freebairn-Smith and OPG utilize a variety of approaches to help organizations identify problems and rectify them. She applies what she’s learned in her years as an organizational systems specialist to see issues coming from miles away.
We were probably told as children to “treat others as we would want to be treated”, and Dr. Freebairn-Smith takes a very similar approach regarding helping unhealthy organizations grow.
“Create working conditions and a culture that you would want your own children to be in or you would want for yourself,” she says.
No organization is an island. Recognizing that your organization is unhealthy is the first step. The next is to seek out professionals like the people at OPG to help guide you in reviving your fading business and continuing your path as a healthy, robust organization.
