I was in an environment where there was a lack of trust, ineffective communications, and power struggles. I feel sad because there is no sense of unity among us. Instead of helping, people have more time to speak ill against each other, and the most heartbreaking thing that I encountered was having management taking their sides. I also feel uncomfortable witnessing people going to work because they have to, not because they want to. For me, the fighting, drama, and unhappy employees affect the productivity and the well-being of everyone in the office. It was never a desirable experience, and the only good thing I have learned from that experience was being aware that things may happen in the workplace, and I should always think before I do something. I should have a work ethic within me.

In addition, I can say that the company I worked in the past has a toxic work culture. There is low morale among employees, poor communication, and manipulation and blame games. To conclude, if these practices continuously happen, there will be high employee turnover, and the company will not reach its goals and objectives. For me, the management should do something now than later. They should do these actions:

  1. Set boundaries with employees and never take sides. A manager should be equal when treating his or her employees. There are no friends when it comes to working. So, whenever there are conflicts among employees, a manager should not take sides. He or she should listen to both parties and resolve their issues as soon as possible;
  2. Start communicating in meaningful ways. A company should have an environment where people can voice out and/or give their feedback or ideas;
  3. Make work a safe place. A place where there is unity, full of appreciation, and respect for one another. A place where everyone will feel more secure and happy doing their work whatever challenges may arise; lastly,
  4. Managers should lead by example. Leaders must recognize their responsibility in encouraging and deterring certain behaviors. They should set the right climate and always follow words with meaningful action.

References:

Relihan, T. (2019, April 29). Fixing a toxic work culture: Guarding against the ‘dark triad’. MIT Sloan. Retrieved April 3, 2022, from https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/fixing-a-toxic-work-culture-guarding-against-dark-triad