Tag Archive: toxic

Employees May Not Love Their Work, But They Can Still Be Engaged: 4 Categories of Work Experience

Employee engagement differs from employee satisfaction. A Gallup poll found that only 32 percent of U.S. workers are engaged in their jobs, for instance. Yet employees who don’t love their jobs can and should still be engaged. Custom Insight distinguishes employee engagement from employee satisfaction. Engagement is defined as “the extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs, are committed to the organization, and put discretionary effort into their work.” Satisfaction relates to “love”—or how happy employees are.  The Purpose and Nature of Work  We must remind ourselves that the primary purpose of work is to provide for our needs—food, shelter, clothing.... Continue reading...

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September 24, 2018 3:14 am
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Toxic Workplaces Can Kill You (Really)

There’s a difference between a bad job and one that is truly toxic. A toxic work environment can seriously affect your physical and mental health, even to the point of shortening your life. Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business, recently linked workplace stress to 120,000 deaths a year in the United States.  You don’t have to work with heavy machinery, volatile chemicals, or in extreme weather conditions for your job to be dangerous to your health. Bad workplaces lead to bad health – and even death. When you work in a toxic environment,... Continue reading...

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June 4, 2018 8:55 am
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Early Warning Signs of a Toxic, Sexist Workplace (like Apple?)

Apple has recently come under bombastic attacks as a result of recently leaked emails describing a less-than-healthy work environment.   The behaviors described almost seem from an era from the last millennia, rather than in a company that has been viewed as a leader into the 21st century. Outsiders may wonder: Are these reports really true?  How could these types of attitudes grow and exist in the context of progressive, well-educated professionals working together? The answers? Probably, and easily.  Just like mold can grow rampantly in a high tech, green, newly constructed physical work space (when the conditions exist and continue... Continue reading...

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September 27, 2016 3:18 pm
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5 Ways to Tell if Your Workplace is Toxic

“Toxic workplaces” have become a hot topic of conversation in the business world. And almost everyone has a story to tell about a bad boss, a crazy colleague or just a terrible place to work. But how do you tell if your workplace is really toxic , a worse-than-normal place to work, or just a normally stressful work environment? TAKE THE FREE Toxic Workplace Quiz Having researched toxic workplaces for over the past three years, we have identified common characteristics that, when put together, make a work environment unhealthy for those who work there. Here are some of the most... Continue reading...

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July 7, 2015 5:04 pm
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Are you dreading work this week? Do you want to know why?

The Labor Day weekend is past. Summer is officially over. And what do you have to look forward to? A week back at work, followed by another week at work, and another. Sound exciting? Or depressing? If you are like a majority of people in the U.S and Canada, you are not looking forward to work this week — and at least half of you are actually dreading returning to work. A critical question is: Do you know why? If you don’t, read on. A second key question is: Do you know how bad your workplace really is?Is it “normally... Continue reading...

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September 1, 2014 10:18 pm
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Early Peek (Pre-release) of Rising Above a Toxic Workplace

What Makes a Workplace Toxic? Susan, a competent young professional, looked worn and defeated. In talking about her workplace, she told us that bickering, criticism, and lack of support had spread through her organization – a workplace she used to love. Now, she said, “The tension here is so thick I hate going to work. Actually, right now, I hate my life.” In our book, Rising Above a Toxic Workplace, we surveyed hundreds of employees (and leaders) from a wide range of industries and sectors. We then individually interviewed dozens whose stories intrigued us. From our research we discovered the... Continue reading...

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August 20, 2014 9:27 pm
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