Geraldine loves her new job. The role suits her perfectly, the team is mostly great, and the flexibility ticks all the boxes.

Mostly.

There’s just one problem… one team member whose behaviour is making work harder than it should be. And no one seems to be doing anything about it. This is how toxic behaviour in the workplace starts. Quietly. Subtly. Then it spreads.

He’s rude. He misses deadlines. He takes credit for work that isn’t his. Management knows… but nothing changes.

Then he lands a big sales win....And suddenly, everything is forgiven.

That’s when the shift happens. Geraldine starts to disengage. If he can behave like that and get away with it… what’s the point?

Sound familiar?

Why Ignoring Toxic Behaviour Is a Business Risk

We see this all the time.

One person’s behaviour is tolerated, and slowly the rest of the team adjusts… but not in a good way. Motivation drops. Frustration builds. Standards slip and what was once a high-performing team starts to unravel.

Toxic behaviour in the workplace rarely appears overnight. It builds over time, and the longer it’s ignored, the harder it is to fix.

Deal With It Early (Even If It’s Uncomfortable)

The best thing a manager can do? Address it early. Even if you haven’t personally witnessed the behaviour, if multiple people are raising concerns, that’s your signal. Create a culture where your team feels safe to speak up. Because if they don’t tell you, they’ll eventually leave you.

There May Be a Reason Behind the Behaviour

Perhaps you have seen the poor behaviour and it may be a huge departure from the way this person usually conducts themselves. Is this behaviour out of character? If so, there could be something else going on.

A good start would be to sit down with them and getting to the crux of the problem. There could be a major upheaval at home that is the cause. Personal stress. Health issues. Financial pressure. Relationship breakdowns. We’ve all seen how quickly life can throw things off track.

Support First. But Don’t Ignore It.

Depending on the situation, support might look like:

• Flexible working arrangements
• Access to counselling or EAP
• Adjusted workload
• Temporary changes to expectations

If your business can support the employee, it’s worth considering.

A one off piece of bad behaviour is not going to take down a strong and healthy workplace culture but if you spy an ongoing pattern of behaviour, you have no choice but to get on the front foot and deal with it. Good employees are hard to find.

But support doesn’t mean tolerance of ongoing poor behaviour.

Sometimes, Calling It Out Is Enough

Sometimes, Calling It Out Is Enough. Sometimes, simply calling out the bad behaviour does the trick.  Human nature is a complex beast and even the best employees may ‘try it on’ every now and again.

Many moons ago, a fantastic team member started coming in to work late. No excuses, no apologies. She would then head to the kitchen and make her breakfast and when she finally turned on her computer, she was losing 45 minutes of productivity per day – that’s a hefty 4.25 hours a week!  It was disruptive for the team and the downtime was clearly having an impact. A quick one-on-one uncovered a personal issue. The behaviour improved immediately. And the employee became even more loyal.

Lesson? Address it sooner, not later.

When Informal Doesn’t Work

Sometimes, it’s not situational. It’s behavioural. And that’s when you need to step things up.

This may include:

• Formal performance discussions
• Written warnings
• A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
• Termination of employment (where appropriate)

Just make sure you follow procedural fairness and proper process. These situations can get tricky quickly, and we’ve seen it all, so if you need a hand, reach out.

The Real Impact on Your Business

Allowing toxic behaviour to continue will have a significant impact on your business if you don’t deal with it head on. It may seem like benign behaviour - tardiness, distraction of others or a little idle gossip in the tearoom - but left unchecked, you may find other team members become frustrated with the behaviour and inaction of management. 

This can lead to lost productivity as your team becomes disengaged. You may be waiting for the perpetrator of the poor behaviour to resign but why would they, when they know they are getting away with whatever they want. 

It's the good employees that leave.

Key Takeaways for Employers

• Avoidance won’t fix it
• Address issues early
• Look for underlying causes
• Support where appropriate
• Take formal action when needed
• Always consider the wider team
• Managing people isn’t always easy.
• But dealing with issues early is always easier than fixing the damage later.

If you’re dealing with a situation like this and not sure where to start, reach out.

Sometimes a quick conversation can save a whole team.

FAQs on Toxic Behaviour

What is considered toxic behaviour in the workplace?

Toxic behaviour includes ongoing negativity, bullying, poor attitude, missed deadlines, taking credit for others’ work, and behaviour that impacts team morale or productivity.

How should managers deal with toxic employees?

Managers should address the behaviour early, understand any underlying causes, provide support where appropriate, and move to formal processes if the behaviour continues.

Can toxic behaviour lead to employee turnover?

Yes. In many cases, high-performing employees leave when toxic behaviour is ignored, especially if they feel management isn’t addressing the issue.

When should formal action be taken?

If behaviour continues after informal discussions or is serious in nature, formal action such as warnings or performance management should be implemented.

Is it ever appropriate to terminate employment for behaviour?

Yes, if the behaviour continues despite support and formal processes, and procedural fairness has been followed.