ABSTRACT
Like unhappy families, dysfunctional companies are malfunctioning in ways that reflect their particular circumstances. However, familiar patterns and causal chains are broadly discernible. There is in fact a stage where a relationship with employees deteriorates to a state of apathy or indifference. There are familiar patterns across poorly run and sometimes downright toxic workplaces that I believe are as predictable as they are preventable. Broader trends in what has been described as our “post affluent” society with its uncertainty and volatility, make things worse but those merely accentuate an already alarming state of affairs. Negative organizational environments help fuel attitudes and behaviors that are marked by low morale, absenteeism, cynicism, lack of energy, lack of commitment, and pervasive dissatisfaction. If not addressed, they can turn downright toxic.
