Source: hrdigest.com
Toxic leadership in the workplace may sound like a superficial problem, but such management can guarantee employee burnout. A recent study of employee dehumanization at work revealed the follies of allowing abusive supervision to reshape the organization.
A bad boss doesn’t just imply a rough day at work or the occasional bout of frustration at being unfairly targeted. When toxic bosses take over the workplace, employees face prolonged exposure to dehumanizing language and behavior, reshaping how they see themselves as well. The impact of an abusive boss within the workplace is not often discussed as many organizations choose to ignore the impact of a leader as long as the organizational goals are ultimately met, but this costs the business in employee engagement, retention, and confidence as well.
Addressing Toxic Leadership in the Workplace Could Be Essential to Alleviating Burnout
A study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, which was co-led by Liu-Qin Yang, a professor at Portland State University, found that abusive supervision in the workplace can lead to the dehumanization of the workforce. The study found that a toxic boss didn’t just cause employees to experience minor frustrations on the job, but instead resulted in changes in how they perceive their own humanity. This “organizational dehumanization” was the primary reason for the severe burnout and the dissolution of workplace collaboration.
“Abusive supervision compromises an employee’s sense of agency,” Yang said in explanation of the impact of this toxic behavior. “Our findings show that this sense of dehumanization creates two distinct pathways of destruction within a company’s culture.” These two impacts of abusive supervision were described by the internal, emotional toll, as well as their ability to outwardly engage with their organization and colleagues.
The study claimed that the internal toll could take the form of a display of “inauthenticity” at work, where employees could no longer find it in themselves to be true to their identity and principles. Having to constantly suppress their reactions, thoughts, and traits due to toxic leadership could eventually lead to burnout. On the other hand, the social toll is also important to consider. The sense of powerlessness following abusive supervision and the consequent dehumanization could cause employees to become reluctant to engage with colleagues, preventing them from engaging in any teamwork.
A Human-Centric Approach to Management Should Replace Toxic Leadership
The research on toxic leadership and its relationship with burnout is important for organizations to understand and assess, as it can have lasting effects on employees, not only as individuals but as a collective workforce. As the study points out, some employees may have a safety net of self-efficacy that reduces their vulnerability to external criticism and toxicity, but this does not mean that their resilience will always hold up or keep them free from the impact of an abusive boss.
“To mitigate these risks, organizations should adopt practices aimed at preventing leader abuse through development programs that emphasize respectful communication,” Yang explained in the study. “By fostering employee self-efficacy and implementing human-centric management, companies can protect their most valuable asset — the humanity of their workforce.”
While there are many ways to approach leadership and management styles, a human-centric approach is essential to keep in mind at all times. Authoritative leaders may have a more frugal approach to the workforce than an empathetic leader, but for both, it is important to consider the impact of their leadership on the workforce and ensure it doesn’t cause unintended harm.
Employees thrive best when they are trusted and given the resources necessary to perform their roles. Feedback and guidance will always be critical to the workplace, but ensuring it doesn’t cross the line and turn abusive is a critical consideration.