Research by the Harvard Business Review reveals a startling fact: a single toxic employee can significantly lower the morale and productivity of an entire team.
Another research found that it can cost companies over $50,000 annually in lost productivity, increased turnover, and wasted resources.
It’s a matter of fact, the presence of a negative influence in the workplace doesn’t just affect those directly involved; it creates a ripple effect, leading to a dysfunctional, unproductive, and even hostile work environment.
If organizations don’t take proactive measures against non-performing or disruptive employees, they risk more than just their bottom line. In the long run, they may lose their most loyal, high-performing team members, who become frustrated and disillusioned by a lack of action.
But before we dive into how you can handle this issue, it’s important to understand exactly how bad employees ruin the good ones. These behaviors might seem normal or just part of someone’s personality, but they’re actually toxic traits that can damage your workplace culture if left unchecked.
Below are some common bad employee behaviors you might find in a toxic work environment. We’ve broken them down with real-life examples to give you a clearer picture of what could be happening right under your nose—and what steps you can take to ensure a healthy, productive workplace.
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Understanding bad employee behavior: key attributes and examples
Here are some bad employee behaviors to watch out for. Take a close look and see if any of these are part of your workplace culture. Once you’ve identified the issues, we’ll discuss how you can put measures in place to eliminate them.
What is the attitude of a bad employee?
Bad employees often display certain attitudes that can undermine the entire team’s efforts:
- Entitlement: Bad employees often feel entitled to special treatment or privileges without putting in the necessary effort or delivering results. For example, they might expect a promotion simply due to their seniority, rather than their performance or contributions to the team.
- Lack of accountability: Poor performers rarely admit to mistakes and often shift the blame to others.
- Resistance to change: Underperformers resist any changes, whether in processes or management, and spread doubt or fear about new initiatives.
- Negativity and cynicism: They always see the glass as half-empty and are quick to spread their negative outlook to others.
Recognizing these attitudes early can help you take action before they become ingrained in your workplace culture.
How bad bosses ruin good employees:
It’s not just bad employees who can drive away your top talent—bad bosses can do just as much damage if not more.
A study by DDI claims that 57% of people have quit because of their boss — and 37% reported leaving because of their manager. These are horrible numbers.
When leaders fail to set clear expectations, ignore issues, or show favoritism, it can demoralize even the best employees.
- Poor communication: Poor communication is one of the leading causes of conflict between bosses and good employees. When a boss fails to communicate clearly or regularly, employees can feel lost, undervalued, and disconnected from their roles.
This lack of direction often leads to confusion, frustration, and ultimately, disengagement. Clear, consistent communication is essential to maintaining trust and ensuring that everyone is aligned with the organization’s goals. - Favoritism and bias: Favoritism is another common reason that can sabotage good employees. When a manager shows favoritism or unfairly promotes certain team members, others often feel neglected and unappreciated. This behavior not only reduces morale but also fosters resentment and tension within the team, ultimately harming overall productivity and engagement.
- Lack of support: Good employees expect their bosses to support them, especially in challenging situations. When managers don’t stand up for their team or provide the necessary resources, good employees start looking for an exit.
These behaviors can quickly drive away your best people, who will seek out environments where their efforts are recognized and rewarded.
Now let’s discuss some other common attributes of bad employees with examples and their impact on good ones.
Passive aggression and negativity: How bad employees erode morale
Bad employees are often habitual of passive-aggressive behavior.
Passive-aggressive behavior, such as avoiding direct communication, making sarcastic remarks, or subtly undermining others, can create an environment of tension and mistrust.
Negative employees often spread pessimism and complaints, creating a toxic atmosphere where good employees feel demotivated and undervalued.
Example:
Consider an employee who consistently rolls their eyes during meetings or dismisses their colleagues’ ideas with sarcastic comments. This behavior not only undermines team cohesion but also discourages open communication, which is vital for innovation and problem-solving.
This is how the passive-aggressive behavior of bad employees can not only create a toxic environment but also become a major roadblock to innovation and growth.
Lack of accountability: Shifting blame and avoiding responsibility
Bad employees often refuse to take responsibility for their mistakes, blaming others or circumstances instead. This creates a culture where errors are concealed rather than addressed, and good employees are left to pick up the slack.
Example:
Imagine a team member who habitually misses deadlines and blames their failure on unclear instructions or inadequate resources. Over time, their colleagues, who must compensate for their lack of accountability, become overburdened and frustrated, leading to resentment and burnout.
As a result, this can result in turnover, costing you a lot of recruitment costs and hindering your company from scaling!
Creating a toxic environment: The power of negativity and conflict
Toxic environments are born when negative behaviors, such as gossiping, bullying, or openly criticizing colleagues, go unmanaged.
A toxic workplace is characterized by constant conflicts, poor communication, and a lack of trust among team members.
Good employees may feel unsafe, unsupported, and stressed, which significantly affects their productivity and mental well-being.
Impact:
When a manager spends a substantial amount of time resolving conflicts caused by a few toxic employees, they are diverted from more strategic and productive tasks. Similarly, employees find themselves wasting hours navigating interpersonal conflicts rather than focusing on their work, further diminishing overall team output.
Undermining new employees: Disrupting integration and growth
Bad employees often target new hires, influencing them negatively from the start. They may attempt to recruit new employees into their toxic cliques or spread negativity to newcomers to gain allies or disrupt the team’s harmony.
Example:
In some cases, a toxic employee may seek out new hires to spread misinformation or involve them in office politics. This not only disrupts the new employee’s onboarding experience but also creates an impression of a divided, hostile workplace, making it hard for new talent to settle in and thrive.
Impact of bad employees on good employees: ripple effects
Bad employees do more than just disrupt immediate tasks; they have a broader impact on the organization by causing good employees to feel disheartened, increasing their workload, and even making them question their loyalty to the company.
- Toxic environments lead to reduced morale and productivity: When good employees are forced to work in a toxic environment, their motivation and productivity decline. A Gallup study found that employees working in toxic environments are 2.5 times more likely to experience severe stress, which reduces overall performance.
- Disloyalty and turnover increase: When bad employees are not addressed, good employees feel undervalued and overlooked. As the saying goes, “Good people leave bad managers, not companies.” High performers will eventually seek better opportunities where they feel appreciated and protected.
- Workload imbalance: When bad employees fail to perform or contribute, the burden often shifts to the most competent and hardworking employees. This increased workload can lead to burnout, dissatisfaction, and eventual resignation of top talent.
Situational factors that amplify the impact of bad employees
Different workplace settings and organizational cultures can amplify the impact of bad employees.
For instance:
- Remote or hybrid work environments: In a remote setting, bad behavior can be harder to detect and address promptly. Passive-aggressive communication or lack of accountability may be more challenging to manage without face-to-face interactions.
- Weak leadership and management: Inadequate leadership often fails to recognize or address bad behavior, allowing it to fester. A lack of decisive action can lead to a perception that the company tolerates or even rewards negative behavior, which further demoralizes good employees.
Preventative measures and solutions: taking action to protect your team
To effectively counter the negative impact of bad employees, organizations need a proactive strategy. This includes early identification of problematic behaviors, strong HR policies, regular feedback mechanisms, and training programs for managers to handle conflicts and promote a positive workplace culture.
One effective approach is the “4D Formula”:
- Define the unacceptable behaviors clearly.
- Discuss the issues openly and honestly with the employees involved.
- Document all instances of negative behavior and efforts made to resolve them.
- Decide on appropriate consequences or actions, ranging from additional training to termination, if necessary.
By adopting these practices, companies can mitigate the damage caused by bad employees, protect their good employees, and maintain a healthy, productive work environment.
Conclusion and call to action
Bad employees can have a far-reaching impact, turning a productive and positive work environment into a stressful, unproductive one. By recognizing the signs early, understanding the impact, and taking decisive action, organizations can prevent the negative effects of bad behavior from spreading.
Encourage your team to be vigilant, communicate openly, and take proactive steps to ensure your workplace remains a positive space where all employees can thrive.