The first obvious question is what is a “toxic” personality as opposed to an irritating one?
The research concentrated on employees who fall below meeting the threshold of undertaking bullying or harassing behaviours (which are relatively easy for an employer to address formally through a disciplinary process) and those who exhibited more subtle behaviours that eventually took their toll on other employees and profitability.
They identified three types of toxic behaviours:
- Shaming behaviour - humiliating others, taking pot shots and using sarcasm.
- Passive hostility - passive-aggression, territorial behaviour, distrust of others’ opinions, difficulty with feedback; and
- Team Sabotage which is when people meddle, and use their authority to punish others.
The researchers say that if left to “run rampant”, these behaviours decrease both productivity and retention of (good) employees. With costs of recruiting a replacement ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 times their salary, organisations can’t afford to ignore toxic behaviours.
When I asked the authors what had lead to this research they both indicated that they had been subjected to toxic personalities in the workplace and didn’t want others to suffer like they had. Dr Kusy noted that to this day a certain perfume makes him sick to his stomach as it reminds him of one toxic individual from his past.
I often have people in tears in my office about workplace relationships. People can’t sleep, they get sick, their relationships suffer they lose enjoyment of going to work. In the past I have said to people “life’s too short” and urged them to simply get another job. My fear is that in the current economic down turn people will be even more likely to stay in an environment with a toxic personality - that is simply not healthy.
In Part 2, I’ll outline what myths surround toxic personalities at work. If you can’t wait till then buy the book Toxic Workplace! Managing Toxic Personalities and Their Systems of Power (2009, Jossey-Bass) by Dr. Mitchell Kusy and Dr. Elizabeth Holloway.
