Seriously now, enough is enough! Do you have any idea if any of your employees are suffering from burnout? From mental health issues? From sensory overwhelm because of the amount of extra work technology has allowed to be ‘thrown’ at employees. And as quick as these requests are thrown at your employees, someone at the other end is impatiently waiting for an immediate answer. The pace of technology has increased hyper-burnout, and all of this without an employer even thinking about the consequences, simply because it snuck in the backdoor. It is time for this to stop. And then, of course, comes the inexplicable inequalities still faced in workplaces around the world today. When everyone is treated fairly and equally in the workplace, everyone wins. Morale improves, collaboration strengthens, and innovation flourishes.
Employees become more engaged and loyal. Fairness and inclusivity creates a better working environment for all. Businesses becomes more resilient and reputations are enhanced. Equity is a must have. It is a smart, strategic move that elevates everyone, people and profits alike. When people know they are being heard and respected, they bring their full selves to work. This unlocks creativity, encourages healthy decision-making/risk-taking, and fosters a sense of belonging that cannot be manufactured through policy alone.
A culture built on fairness becomes a magnet for top talent and retains the people who make the organization strong.
Simply put, treating people right is not just the ethical thing to do, it’s the right thing to do. Clean house – get rid of the corrupt, the coasters, the unethical and eliminate all forms of bias and discrimination in the workplace. Once and for all. And please, take the time to notice where your employees are at with regards to burnout, mental health issues, and sensory overwhelm.
12 Actionable Steps to Transform a Toxic Workplace into a Fair, Ethical, High-Performing Culture
Acknowledge the Reality
Start by recognizing and owning the issues, such as hostility, insecurity, or unethical behavior. Denial stalls progress. Change begins with honest reflection.Declare a New Vision
Clearly define the kind of workplace you’re building, one grounded in fairness, inclusivity, and integrity, and communicate it widely and consistently.Engage in a Cultural Audit
Use anonymous surveys, focus groups, exit interviews, and external consultants to uncover systemic issues. Listen with the intent to hear and act.Lead by Example at the Top
Senior leaders must model the values they want to see. Leadership behavior sets the tone for the rest of the organization.Reset Expectations for Managers
Provide training on ethical leadership, emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and how to handle difficult conversations constructively.Strengthen Accountability
Reinforce that unethical behavior, favoritism, bullying, or poor leadership will no longer be tolerated, regardless of rank or results, and then stand by this.Implement Safe Reporting Channels
Create trusted, confidential systems for reporting misconduct without fear of retaliation. Show you take concerns seriously and follow through.Revise Outdated Policies
Review and update all HR and Business Policies, Procedures and Practices, especially those related to grievances, discipline, and performance, so that they are transparent, fair, and aligned with the organization’s values.Embed Core Values into Daily Operations
From hiring to decision-making, promotions, and performance reviews, your values must live in every part of your business’s processes.Recognize and Reward the Right Behaviors
Shift recognition programs to celebrate teamwork, integrity, fairness, and ethical decision-making, not just financial outcomes.Maintain Open, Honest, Ongoing Dialogue
Create regular feedback loops, team check-ins, pulse surveys, listening forums, and act visibly on what is shared to build trust.Monitor Progress and Stay Accountable
Track cultural and behavioral improvements over time. Set measurable goals for change, and review progress at leadership and board levels regularly.
At one of the large manufacturing plants where I was the HR Senior Manager, we implemented a ‘post box system’ throughout HQ, the admin block and within all sections within the plant. Now take into account that this business is the second largest of its kind in the world. There were both blue and white collar workers, and multiple layers within the hierarchy structure. This, in itself, made it difficult for me, as the senior HR executive, to always know what was truly going on at the various plants, and within the various levels of the plants.
Through this system, we were able to allow anyone within the company to put anonymous notes in the boxes, which were under lock and key, and the notes were collected and I would go through each one of them. Some of them were credible, and yes, some of them were issues which direct management could deal with. This system worked, and it allowed employees a way to communicate directly with HR should they believe there was a credible issue that needed to be dealt with.
I am not saying that this works in all environments, but it does where the majority of workers do not have access to computers to send an email. And it is at grass-level that I want to know what is going on. Any leader should want this too, and not just go on hearsay from their management, regardless of how trustworthy they are. Sometimes employees are far more open to HR and other interventions, than dealing with their direct managers, and that is why the 360 degree feedback is also very helpful.
There are so many different ways you can choose to root out toxicity from the workplace. Choose the one that best suits your business model, and then be consistent in the management of this process.