5 Signs That a Toxic Company Culture Is Creeping Into Your Organization 

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As an entrepreneur with 17 years of experience and now working on his fourth company, the author has become hyper-aware of how vital it is to protect company culture. Building a successful company is about much more than hitting revenue goals or scaling quickly — it’s about fostering a healthy, vibrant workplace where your team can thrive. A toxic culture will undermine that faster than you can imagine.  Here are some hard-learned lessons the author has gathered over the years about identifying toxic culture and, more importantly, how to fix it before it’s too late.

1. Toxic culture doesn’t always look toxic at first.  It’s easy to think of toxic culture as blatant negativity, conflict or disrespect. But in my experience, it starts in much more subtle ways: passive-aggressive comments, cliques forming, communication breakdowns and employees feeling like they can’t speak up.  Toxicity starts small, but its impact grows quickly.
2. As a leader, you set the tone — always.  You, as the entrepreneur or business leader, are responsible for setting the cultural tone.  As a leader, make a conscious effort to lead by example. That means being transparent with your team, reinforcing your core values, and creating a space where everyone feels heard. It’s not enough to say you have great company values — you have to live them every day. If the leader isn’t walking the talk, no one else will either.  Keep a pulse on your team’s dynamics. Regularly check in with employees at all levels — not just your managers — to uncover the unspoken problems that might be festering.
3. Toxic culture drains talent — and fast.  It’s not just productivity that suffers when a company has a toxic environment — it drives your best people out the door.  A toxic culture drains creativity, enthusiasm and the desire to stay. One powerful way to build the culture back into your company is for all employees to take ownership of their work, collaborate freely and feel proud to be part of something meaningful.
4. Don’t wait — address issues immediately.  If you see signs of toxicity — address it immediately. Delaying is dangerous. In author’s experience, waiting to have tough conversations only allows the problem to fester. Whether it’s poor communication, office politics, or someone undermining your company values, these issues must be confronted head-on.  Sometimes, tough decisions have to be made. Letting toxic behavior slide, no matter how small, is a slippery slope.
5. Culture is a living thing — nurture it.  One of the most important lessons the author has learned in 17 years as an entrepreneur is that culture isn’t static. It evolves as your company grows, your team changes and new challenges arise. That’s why you should keep on constantly checking in with your team—gathering feedback, assessing the vibe and making sure they are staying true to their values.  Protecting your culture is an ongoing process. It’s not something you can set and forget. You need to nurture it, keep it in check, and make sure it’s growing in a healthy direction. At the end of the day, your culture is one of your greatest assets — don’t take it for granted.

Ways to be proactive in creating a great culture:  make cultural fit a key part of your hiring process; encourage regular, honest communication;  and celebrate wins, big and small.