The work environment of a well functioning and thriving team should be comfortable, open, friendly and inspiring. However, if a team is dominated by toxic elements and employees don't feel comfortable, this leads to declining performance and high employee turnover. Here are four warning signs that indicate such a toxic environment may exist in your team.
Fear of speaking openly
As stated by Entrepreneur.com, one of the classic indicators of a toxic work environment is employees being afraid to speak. In an ideal team, everyone should be motivated to bring new ideas, creative changes and innovations which improve work for everyone and increase the efficiency of the team or entire company. In a hostile work environment, employees feel their opinions don't matter and managers monopolise all power and decision-making authority.
Micromanagement
A hostile work environment is characterised by leaders who don't trust their subordinates. As a result, they micromanage their work, control every step and, most importantly, don't grant them any authority which would allow independent decision making. A satisfied employee is one who works independently; if this is not the case, something is wrong.
Little willingness to do anything beyond assigned tasks
In an ideal work environment, employees don't mind working overtime; they often help one another and do things beyond their job descriptions to complete projects. In this respect, a hostile work environment is the complete opposite: employees do only the bare minimum, do nothing extra voluntarily, but merely fulfil what is stated in their contracts.
High turnover of subordinates
A hostile work environment is naturally associated with high employee turnover, frequent departures and often early resignations shortly after hiring. Burnout and complete exhaustion caused by stress are also common, as employees are forced to endure ongoing pressure.
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