Is Your Work Environment Toxic?

Federal law protects employees against being immersed in a toxic work environment. Since people spend a significant part of their day at work, it's important that the work environment be friendly, safe, and welcoming.

Any employer that ignores a toxic work environment or fails to address toxic elements within their organization could be held legally liable for emotional or physical damages that occur as a result of a toxic environment.

Protect your company against financial harm by evaluating your work environment and eliminating toxic elements.

1. Office Drama

A fair amount of drama takes place in many workplaces. Office gossip, rumors, and petty arguments between employees can significantly reduce the efficiency of your workforce.

While you might think that office drama is harmless, it has the potential to create a toxic environment. Some forms of office drama can even be considered harassment. An employee who is being targeted by rumors and gossip could file a lawsuit against your company.

Avoid labor litigation for harassment by eliminating office drama from your work environment.

2. Unavailable HR Department

Employees need a place to vent their frustration and lodge formal complaints. The human resources department in your company acts as a liaison between upper management and the general workforce.

An HR department that is unavailable or unwilling to communicate with employees can be a legal liability.

Any grievances filed by employees must be investigated thoroughly. No threat of retaliation must be present within your workplace. If your HR department is not available and willing to meet the needs of your employees, you could find yourself facing a labor litigation case in court.

3. Poor Training

All of the employees on your payroll should receive training prior to being assigned work-related tasks. This training ensures that all employees are familiar with the safety and procedural protocols in your facility.

Poor training can contribute to a toxic work environment. Employees who are unable to complete assigned tasks according to protocol can foster discontent within your labor force.

In addition to creating a toxic environment, poorly trained employees can create safety hazards that might cause injuries to their co-workers.

Your company could be held legally liable for these injuries, so it's essential that you provide thorough training for all employees to eliminate workplace toxicity in your organization.

A labor litigation lawyer can help you evaluate your workplace to determine if a toxic environment exists. Your attorney can help you make changes to prevent toxicity in the future and represent your interests in court. Contact a lawyer who offers labor litigation services to learn more.