Toxic behaviors are increasingly eroding workplace culture, with 30% of employed U.S. job seekers—professionals who have a job but are actively looking for new work—reporting employees at their company are more confrontational than they were three years ago, according to a new survey.
That’s a sizable chunk of the workforce, with 34% of men noting increased confrontational behavior at work compared to 23% of women.
These are a couple of the key findings from a recent Express Employment Professionals/Harris Poll survey. The research involved surveying 1,001 U.S. hiring decision-makers and 1,039 job-seeking adults aged 18 and up.
Another key finding: More than one in five (22%) employed job seekers said they’ve seen a rise in colleagues being “mean” to others at work over the past year.
Many factors may contribute to this sentiment, including the contentious election cycle last year, but the new survey suggests that disgruntled workers are partly blaming the management of their companies.
More than half of job seekers (54%) believe that company culture should adapt to changing times and employee desires rather than expecting employees to conform to existing culture. That sentiment is much stronger among female workers (59%) versus men (49%).
Some of this feeling is driven by employer attitudes toward boundaries: Fifty-five percent of job seekers surveyed agreed that it was “inappropriate” for bosses to demand from co-workers boundaries similar to those they have for family and friends—people whom you may have a broader natural tolerance to when misbehavior occurs. In addition, nearly three in five respondents (57%) find it difficult to distinguish between a hostile work environment and a clash of co-workers’ personalities in today’s workplace.
The data comes against a backdrop of deep, politically driven hostility to DEI practices, mass layoffs in numerous industries and in government offices, and the way Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency team is cutting jobs and enforcing anti-DEI policy—including allegedly removing a sign from one staffer’s desk that reminded workers to be kind to everyone. This clashes with the new Harris data, which found 62% of job seekers felt companies should have signage to “remind people to be nice to one another.” This sentiment, though, differed by generations: Seventy-eight percent of Gen Z job seekers felt this way, compared with 64% of millennial respondents and 56% of Gen Xers. Only 44% of baby boomer or senior job seekers agreed.
While 84% of employed job seekers say their company implements measures to manage conflicts, more proactive approaches are needed, including:
- Providing resources on conflict resolution: 53%
- Encouraging open communication with supervisors: 52%
- Mandating training on appropriate workplace behavior: 36%
- Displaying signs or other materials regarding appropriate workplace behaviors: 27%
“Addressing toxic behaviors in the workplace is crucial for businesses aiming to attract and retain top talent,” Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller said in a statement. “A toxic environment not only drives employees away but also tarnishes a company’s reputation, making it more difficult to recruit skilled professionals. By fostering a positive and respectful workplace culture, companies can enhance their appeal to skilled professionals, reduce turnover, and strengthen their overall market position.”
With Tribune News Service
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