28-05-2025
HPPCL chief engineer's death: Workplace toxicity is real. We should tackle it before it's too late
Written by Manju Mahipalan
Toxins are harmful to our health, and so are toxic workplaces that constantly question and undermine the dignity and worth of individuals. Research from across the world has documented the adverse impacts of workplace toxicity on employee productivity, performance, and emotional, social, and physical well-being.
In India, toxicity in the workplace is often considered normal, and employees are frequently unaware of the extent to which they are exposed to it daily — until a precious life is lost. The recent case of an HPPCL employee who was found dead after going missing for a week reveals the severe mistreatment that individuals may experience at the hands of the authorities. The fact-finding committee report shows that the employee faced constant humiliation and threats for over six months, which ultimately took a significant toll on his mental health.
However, this is not the first reported case revealing the direct consequences of toxic workplaces. In 2022, a 31-year-old IT worker died by suicide, citing excessive workplace pressure. The same year, in September, an assistant manager of a Gurugram-based firm took his life, alleging that his reputation had been tarnished. In 2019, a 24-year-old software employee reportedly died by suicide in Hyderabad, stating that she would not receive any more work.
What constitutes workplace toxicity? Toxic behaviours can be overt or covert. Low-intensity deviant behaviour that appears harmless — such as demeaning, disrespectful, or offensive comments to a co-worker, or ignoring, insulting, or yelling at someone — violates self-respect. These behaviours also include undermining an employee's credibility in front of others. Subtler forms of toxicity include microaggressions: unconscious verbal or behavioural slights, often stemming from insensitivity or incorrect assumptions, usually targeting minorities or marginalised groups. More explicit forms of toxic behaviour include bullying and harassment, manifesting as physical or sexual aggression, persistent criticism, intimidation, threatening, manipulation, false allegations, humiliation, work overload, and isolation or exploitation.
Individuals who misuse authority and engage in harassing actions may be perceived as reinforcing their sense of power and control over others. From a psychological perspective, displaying toxicity could be a sign of internalised shame, insecurity, or even low self-esteem. Researchers have linked toxic behaviours to specific personality characteristics. Narcissistic tendencies, in particular, have been consistently correlated with toxic behaviours. Narcissists often possess a sense of entitlement and a lack of empathy, which can lead to negative organisational dynamics.
Toxic workplaces are not just about the individuals who perpetrate such actions. A closer examination reveals a vicious cycle characterised by an empathy gap, inadequate support systems, and an atmosphere of conflict, distrust, and antipathy. Toxic cultures grow and thrive when such behaviours are normalised or when an unhealthy power imbalance exists within organisational hierarchies. These behaviours are exacerbated in organisations with more bystanders than active participants willing to question and protest against them. Studies indicate that while bystanders may occasionally sympathise with victims of workplace toxicity, their passiveness contributes to the perpetuation of such behaviour. The unsettling reality is that workplace toxicity can affect anyone, regardless of age, experience, or position, and it has a lasting impact on an individual's sense of self.
How can we respond to this crisis before it is too late? First, it is crucial to adopt an organisational perspective in addressing workplace toxicity. Too often, instances of harassment, humiliation, or exploitation persist as isolated incidents with individual narratives that fail to compel companies to act. What is needed is a systemic perspective that enables the phenomenon to be addressed effectively. A systemic approach uncovers the latent patterns and dynamics underpinning workplace toxicity. Leadership matters, because people do not simply mimic organisational values — they emulate the behaviours modelled by those at the top. Without leadership, organisational culture cannot transform.
Finally, efforts to address workplace toxicity must go beyond tokenistic awareness campaigns. Meaningful, targeted, multi-level interventions are required to prevent toxicity and remediate its damaging effects. These evidence-based interventions should empower individuals to confront their biases and dismantle the assumptions that shape their social interactions. No organisation can be truly sustainable if its workforce suffers and remains neglected.
The writer teaches management studies at NIT Calicut, Kerala
