The term "workplace toxicity" can be applied to any environment employees would describe as poisonous, harmful, or very unpleasant — not exactly a badge of honor. Which begs the question: If any employee describes their professional culture in this way, why would they stay?
In a recent survey by online career platform The Muse, the answer had a lot to do with a respondent's age. Seventy-four percent of millennials (ages 25-40) and 79% of Gen X (ages 41-56) reported facing toxic situations at work, while 59% of Boomers (ages 59+) and 44% of Gen Z had experienced toxicity. Gen Z, however, is most likely to do something about it: 27% of the youngest generation reported actively trying to leave a toxic situation, compared to 22% of millennials and Gen X and just 16% of boomers.
"Gen Z employees have spent less time in the workplace, which means fewer opportunities to interact with a toxic boss or toxic workplace," says Kathryn Minshew, CEO of Muse. "We've seen a real push in the last several years to improve the employee experience, and younger generations are less likely to put up with a problematic workplace environment."
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The effects of a negative work environment do not discriminate by age. Toxic culture was the single best
What is evident is the difference in mindset when it comes to younger workers' attitudes toward negative circumstances versus that of their older counterparts. Another survey conducted by The Muse found that 80% of millennials and Gen Z believe it is acceptable to leave a job after six months if it wasn't as advertised, underlining the fact that they are willing to move on from a position that is not ideal.
"Earlier career workers are more likely to believe that something should be different, versus older workers who may be a little bit more worldwise and are more cynical about what they can expect from a workplace," says Minshew. "People earlier in their career, who don't have years of experience in the workplace and are looking at social media for cues about what is and isn't okay, are less fearful about being labeled a job-hopper."
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When asked what best described their toxic work experience, over half of respondents said disrespect within their current or former workplace. Many also cited non-ethical, non-inclusive and abusive issues. The smallest reported attribute — though still a formidable mention at 20.9% — was a "cutthroat" environment.
With a low tolerance for these types of behaviors by
"The understanding of what constitutes a toxic workplace has changed," Minshew says. "Before social media and the widespread sharing of scenes from people's daily lives, many people thought that employment was a consistent wage in exchange for labor. For members of the Gen X and Boomer generations, many people didn't necessarily have the same expectations of the workplace that younger generations are coming in with."
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For leadership, this is a call to action. Respondents who reported toxic work environments predominantly blamed their leaders (44%) and direct managers (41%), according to Muse's survey. When asked what could have improved a toxic situation, the most identified step was leadership and management training. Recognizing that this is an issue is not always easy for an employer, but it is essential to cleaning up a toxic
"Listening to your employees through a variety of channels and with as little defensiveness as possible is important," Minshew says. "If people don't have a forum to express their frustration, they may simply leave, and you will never know that you could have saved them and reduced the disruption to the business. If you are someone who does not want to have a toxic workplace culture, you have to be open to hearing about challenges, issues and misunderstandings, or situations that can be interpreted differently by your team."
