The last few days have seen horror stories of toxic bosses or toxic culture in India. And it is the poisonous boss at the helm of these harmful conditions.
Jonah Joseph, Founder of STEAMPRESS, mentions, “A toxic work environment is often misunderstood as a team simply ‘hustling’ its way forward. While these situations may look similar from the outside, the key difference lies in how employees are treated. Lack of recognition, respect, and appreciation creates toxicity in the workplace and usually stems from the top. Whether caused by limited interaction or negligence, toxic leadership impacts the entire organisation. A poisonous boss undermines this culture by fostering poor communication, heightened stress, and low morale. A toxic work environment disrupts this chain, making it a ticking time bomb.
He adds, “High turnover is one immediate consequence. As employees leave, motivated new hires quickly learn from their unhappy colleagues, perpetuating the cycle. This constant churn affects the company's productivity. On top of that, the company develops a negative reputation in the job market. This makes it difficult to attract top talent and retain employees. Addressing toxic leadership is critical to ensure a healthy workplace for employees and stability for the business.”
So here are five ways to report your toxic boss without impacting your office life:
Talk to the boss: Gauge your boss before taking the next step. It will help you understand if your boss is really toxic or there is some misunderstanding that can be resolved. Keep composed while discussing. You don't want to reveal your mind to your boss. If the boss is indeed toxic, stay calm and do not ruffle any feathers. Leave and later decide future recourse.
Look inwards: You can go through every word or action in which the toxic boss has created unnecessary trouble. Be meticulous about this. Ensure you document (physical and digital) everything to prove that the boss's action has been toxic. All of this will allow you to show the toxicity better in case.
Involve your colleagues: Chances are you are not the only victim of your toxic boss. There will be others in the office. Firstly, have good relations with all your colleagues and slowly gather the needed information. You can share your experience with them. Together, you can work on building a case against the boss.
Be professional: Professionalism is the one weapon to kill toxicity. A toxic boss nit-picks and looks for ways to keep you in trouble. So, excel at your work. Do the tasks on time. If possible, ask for more work to show your capabilities. Keep communication professional. You can work with someone senior other than your boss to show your skills. A good HR sees this when the complaint comes in.
Have a Plan B: While working on reporting the toxic boss, keep a Plan B in place. It means searching for a new job. It includes shifting within the organisation. If the boss gets punished but not removed, the result will not be in your favour. So, the shift might be a way to keep your peace of mind and work.
With these points, you can ensure dealing with a toxic boss gets better.
