What Elon Musk and Jimmy Fallon are revealing about toxic workplaces

Are you a 'bad boss'? What Elon Musk and Jimmy Fallon are revealing about toxic workplaces

September 14, 2023 12:54 PM

The stereotype of screaming, door-slamming tyrant bosses in the workplace is rife in movies and TV, but unfortunately, there are plenty of real-life examples of bad behavior from the C-suite that make employees miserable.

Recently, talk show host Jimmy Fallon, known for his bubbly personality and game-playing shenanigans, was called out by both former and current employees for fostering a toxic work environment. In a Rolling Stone magazine article, employees revealed erratic behavior from their boss, and an overall "glum environment" that had an impact on their mental health.

Another notorious "bad boss," Elon Musk has regularly made headlines for toxic behavior, firing hundreds of employees, denying severance payments, mandating employees return to the office or be fired, and, in 2022, even installing beds in the San Francisco office of X, formerly Twitter, so employees would never need to leave.

Working in an environment of fear is unfortunately common for many employees: according to business management consultancy Perceptyx, 24% say they're working for their worst boss ever.

The impact of this bad behavior can lead to drops in productivity, mental health distress and high turnover rates if not properly addressed. In fact, 85% of employees said they would quit their job if they had a bad boss.

Fortunately, there are ways to turn your behavior around if you're a bad boss — or get out of the situation if you're a victim of one. Check out these tips for navigating and hopefully improving a toxic work environment:

Recognize the risks

Perceptyx found that employees working for their worst managers are two times more likely to report unhealthy coping behaviors such as substance use, overeating and treating their family poorly than those working with their best managers. Meanwhile, employees who love their managers are 2.5 times more likely to report being fully engaged in the workplace, and six times more likely to say they fully belong in their organizations.

Read more for the cons of bad bosses on workplace well-being:

24% of employees are working for the 'worst boss ever'

Change your habits

A bad boss can do major damage: poor communication and micromanagement are a few negative qualities that drive employees out the door, according to a survey by Quality Logo Products, an online product distributor. Employees use words like "pushy," "lazy" and "inept" to describe their bad bosses.

Read more to fix these bad management habits and improve company culture:

Are you a bad boss? 5 habits to change now

Use AI as an example

Business Name Generator revealed that one in six U.S. employees would be happy if their boss was replaced by a robot, with one in three believing that an AI substitution would remove favoritism, biased decisions and discrimination in the workplace. While artificial intelligence is making waves throughout the workforce, managers can take some proactive steps to avoid getting booted by a bot.

Read more to create a more inclusive environment for employees:

Employees fed up with managers say AI bosses are the answer

Be open to feedback

According to a recent survey of 1,000 employees working at U.S. tech companies, conducted by learning management system TalentLMS, 45% of employees who report toxic workplace cultures say that leadership is unaware, and 43% say leadership is willingly turning a blind eye to toxic behaviors within their organizations. Employers should be transparent and encourage open communication, which will help create a culture where employees feel safe speaking up about their concerns regarding toxic behaviors.

Read more about ways to accept feedback and make changes to work culture:

Tech leaders are ignoring toxic behavior, say 43% of workers

Get a new job

If all else fails, employees may have no choice but to find a new job — and hope they don't find yet another bad boss once they get there. Here's how to prepare for a job interview and find the right fit:

Read more for how to ace these challenging interview questions:

5 challenging interview questions to prepare for