Who would have thought that the Coronavirus And Toxic Work Environments could have some similarities? Let’s see.
The world is on high alert because of the outbreak of the coronavirus that began in China at the end of 2019.
No one foresaw this epidemic.
Initially, when it was first discovered, very few people, especially those in leadership, paid much attention to it. Some even dismissed it.
To be fair, it could have been simply ignorance on their part.
It could have also been an intentional decision to downplay it so that it would not cause people to panic.
Whatever the reason, hindsight has made it clear that this virus was to have been taken more seriously from the very beginning. A grave mistake was made in not doing so.
Based upon what we now know, I’m not sure how much of a difference it would have made. One thing I know: early detection and attention are always better than an after-the-fact reaction.
Hence begins the similarities to a toxic work environment.
Before we get to the 5 disturbing similarities, it would be good to look at the definitions of the coronavirus as well as that of a toxic work environment.
(The definition above is from The U.S. Sun News)
(The above definition is from Wikipedia)
Here now are the 5 disturbing similarities between the coronavirus and a toxic work environment.
Disturbing Similarity #1: They both are contagious
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, over 70000 people have been diagnosed with this virus and the numbers are growing at an astronomical rate.
A number of countries have quarantined those who have shown signs of having possibly contracted or have contracted, the virus.
The problem is that this virus has a 14-day incubation period, which means more people may be infected than realized.
Wearing of masks, avoiding crowds, not shaking hands, are only a few of the measures being taken to contain the spread of the virus.
This is also true of toxicity within the workplace. It becomes contagious.
Some people have been sucked into becoming toxic themselves because they are constantly surrounded by those who wreak from toxicity.
The once peaceful, calm, and welcoming place of work, have now been turned upside down and is no longer a desirable place to be. The “virus” of toxicity has begun to spread.
Disturbing Similarity #2: They both can be deadly
Over 1500 people have died from the coronavirus so far. And this number is climbing.
Some people believe the number is much higher than is being reported mainly from China.
With the rapid spread of the virus and no cure in sight, the death rate will be much higher.
According to the American Institute for Stress, 120,000 people die each year from work-related stress.
Stress is one of the biggest symptoms of a toxic workplace.
In addition to that, the suicide rate is alarming as people unable to cope with other toxic behaviors such as bullying, harassment, verbal abuse, mental abuse, emotional abuse, etc, take their own lives and sometimes the lives of those who make their lives a living hell.
The Irish Times cited US research that shows that 1n 20-25 percent of suicides, bullying was in the background.
Both the coronavirus and a toxic work environment can lead to deadly results.
Disturbing Similarity #3: They both have a negative economic impact
Quoting from Newsky.com: “the Japanese economy shrank at its fastest pace in more than five years at the end of 2019 – putting it on the brink of recession as the impact of the coronavirus begins to bite.
Official figures showed gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 1.6% in the last quarter, equivalent to an annual pace of 6.3%.”
Many companies worldwide are being impacted because many of them do business with China. They depend on China for goods and services.
Apple has pared back its projected earnings simply because most of their phones and/or parts, are made in China.
The magnitude of the economic impact on countries around the world could be enormous.
And so it is with a toxic work environment.
Instead of focusing on performance and production, people in toxic workplaces are spending the majority of their time dealing with the drama of the workplace as well as doing all they can to protect themselves.
Survival becomes the order of the day.
Some people no longer give 100% to their work.
According to Gallup’s recent State of the Global Workplace report, “85% of employees are not engaged or actively disengaged at work. The economic consequences of this global “norm” are approximately $7 trillion in lost productivity. Workplace.” (www.gallup.com)
In addition the loss of productivity due to absenteeism is staggering.
Disturbing Similarity #4: They both require aggressive treatment
To stem the flow of the coronavirus, radical steps are being taken. Some of these steps are mind-boggling.
One recent cruise liner had to remain off the shore of Yokohama, Japan for over two weeks.
Cities in China are on complete lockdown where millions of people cannot travel outside their city and in some cases, have to stay in their homes.
Travelers who have been exposed or possibly exposed to the virus are mandated to spend 14 days in make-shift compounds to make sure they are not infected.
These are drastic or aggressive measures being taken to stem the spread of the virus.
No one can argue with these measures. The bigger picture is at stake.
And so it is with the workplace.
Decisive actions must be taken to stem the flow of toxicity. It cannot be allowed to fester.
Yet, this is what some are allowing to happen. Instead of taking drastic steps to eradicate the toxicity, they are turning a blind eye or acting as if it’s not there.
This only leads to the continual erosion of loyalty, safety, trust, etc. Some people who are considered top performers will exit as quickly as possible. They know that they can find something better.
Disturbing Similarity #5: They both require leadership involvement
The slow response of the Chinese leadership to the coronavirus has led to an almost worldwide pandemic.
A team of Raymond James analysts said: “If this virus becomes a true global pandemic, the actions by the Chinese leadership will come under great fire as they no doubt contributed to the spread. The real impact will likely take years to fully measure.” (cnbc.com)
For reasons only known to the Chinese government, which means the true story will never be told, they chose not to take heed to those who were trying to sound the alarm about this virus.
Some people were subjected to reprisals for attempting to get the message out to the world.
And that tends to be a similar reaction from some leaders within a toxic work environment.
Instead of addressing the issue, they ignore it, hide it or try to, or reprimand those who attempt to call attention to the toxicity.
Leaders are the ones who should take the lead in the detoxing process. They can leverage their influence to make it happen. They have access to resources team members don’t have, to activate change.
The buck stops with them!
CONCLUSION
As you can see, these 5 similarities, left unchecked will continue their destructive path, swallowing up everything and everyone they touch.
As a leader, your job is to take decisive action for the safety of your people. The quicker you get to it, the better chance you’ll have of containment.
If you are experiencing toxicity within your work environment and would like to have my help in detoxifying the workplace, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Let’s get started. Time is of an essence. Don’t wait until it reaches unmanageable and unprecedented proportions.
If becoming this type of leader is something that you want to know more about, connect with me at www.kingsleygrant.com.
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