Toxic workplaces around the globe do exist. Be it small or big having many accolades or certifications like Best Employer, Best workplace etc. makes no difference for people who work there. The difference is that people who face toxicity, bullying, work overload, 24×7 on-call, and burnout, some survive for a short time, some change the course and some succumb to pressure and fail to speak up and harm themselves physically.
Unfortunately, this time, the tragic demise of a young CA who reportedly failed to resist the work overload pressure has brought the issue of toxic work culture even in globally reputed organizations into the limelight and ignited the workforce and the Govt. to talk about and take a note of it. It has created a storm. This is the power of social media which of late compelled the CEO of the firm to express regret on the incident though earlier, he seemed to be defending the organization’s work culture as per media reports. This incident has exposed the lack of humanity and empathy in workplaces.
Toxicity at the workplace has been a buzzword in conferences, Leaders come and give sermons, and preach to others but do not practice at large. This incident has unfolded many dark layers of the corporate world. People at large may agree or not but the fact remains that greed of earning profits more and more has taken over the agenda of people wellbeing. People’s issues have been sidelined and they are only for showcasing. The HR function has been reduced to act in furtherance of business cause only in many organizations as being branded “Business Partner” and not a people champion.
HR finds itself helpless in such extreme situations. At the end of the day, he is also an employee of the organization and has to follow the mandate. It would also not be proper and justified to generalize the situation. It may not be everywhere. There may be many organizations where HR might have taken a stand and stood up against all wrongs and made efforts to take corrective measures to improve work culture and put forth the employees’ point of view before the CEO.
It is good to note that many management practitioners, HR professionals and business leaders have chosen to speak up on social media on the issue and underlined the necessity to make it a board agenda and end workplace toxicity.
Vineet Nayar, Former CEO, HCL Technology, said, “Across industries, young employees are overworked under the guise of “training” or “preparation for the real world.” Although hard work is essential, extreme hours should not become standard. This prevalent pattern sees young professionals working tirelessly for weeks or months without a break, fostering a toxic culture where exhaustion is celebrated and wellbeing is ignored.
We must audit work environments to identify and rectify these harmful practices. When long hours are necessary, companies must provide support such as rest areas, meals, mental health resources, and mandatory time off. HR is pivotal to an organization’s culture. Yet often, HR departments are either unaware or unresponsive to burnout signs.HR must be empowered to intervene early when employee well-being is at risk. We need to start asking ourselves: Are we willing to measure success not just by financial performance but by the health and happiness of the employees driving that performance?”
C.P. Gurnani, Co-founder AIonOS and former CEO of Tech Mahindra said, “Hearing of a young person’s passing caught up in the relentless corporate grind is nothing less than soul-shattering. It is a stark reminder for every firm, every leader, and every manager to move beyond lip service and take concrete actions to protect their most valuable asset: PEOPLE. It is the duty of experienced leaders to shift our cultural mindset to one that values empowerment and sustainable productivity over deadlines and hustle.”
Tanvi Gautam, renowned Global leadership Coach said, “Are we brave enough to create workplaces where no one’s
humanity and capacity is ever forgotten while chasing targets that are sometimes urgent but often ‘made to seem’ urgent?
Where are human lives at the heart of every decision, not just numbers on a balance sheet? Where work is made for humans, by humans, and not as a machine that grinds people down.What would it take to design workplaces that honor our humanity at every turn? Where we can thrive, grow, and be seen as people first-beyond roles, titles, or output? Where the mental and emotional well-being of employees isn’t just an after thought (or worse just an ERG) but a core part of the business model? If we don’t start asking these questions now, when will we? What kind of workplaces do we want to leave behind for the next generation to inherit?”
Prabir Jha of People Advisory Services has said, “Unless we address core upstream issues, no token downstream band-aids will work is my thesis. This must become a Board concern. But do most boards have the conviction to take on these issues if financial success is being delivered? When will HR systems insist on building and promoting wholesome leadership? The agenda needs honesty of intent and persistence of right actions, both of which remain conference niceties rather than hard-core issues of Business governance.”
Sameer Nagarajan,Global Coach and Consultant in HR & OD said, “What is it about the culture of such places that permits such misbehaviour to thrive? This lady had a completely dysfunctional manager. Where is the support system in the organization? I can understand if someone were to tell me, at my stage in my career, that I ought to be my own support system. An individual develops the capacity to be their support system over time and it doesn’t happen in the 20s.”
Nikita Panchal, VP-Global Head Talent, ACG World, said, “If we did not have access to the name of the organization, one could fill in the blank with so many organization names where results overtake people, performance gets traded for wellbeing, speed outlives balance and exhaustion is a reward for being in the race.
Why do we need to be symptomatic in our approach to building a positive organizational culture? why should a dialogue be called for after the triggers scream out? perhaps there are better ways for an organization to sense the needs of its people. A culture of well-being is as important as a culture of performance. It is people that make the results happen.
Do you think organizations need to expand their definition of success? Stretch beyond the linear financial and rise above to measure holistic success?”
Kavach Khanna EX- EY said, “NOTHING WILL CHANGE! No matter even if the whole team changes, people are fired etc, Culture in an organisation goes beyond, teams and people. Sadly, companies like these survive because someone at the bottom of the pyramid wants to earn a living or make his/her parents proud and they would do anything for it.”
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