When culture turns toxic: spotting the signs before it’s too late

Kate Lawson

tHRive Partnership

HR Consultant

🔍 Having just read the article “What is ‘culture rot’ – and why is it spreading in UK workplaces?” in People Management, it really struck a chord with what we’re seeing across many organisations right now.

As the founder of tHRive Partnership, I work with businesses to create people-centred cultures that are built to last, and what this article highlights is a growing problem: toxic undercurrents that slowly erode trust, values, and morale.

Here are three reflections that stood out for me 👇

1️⃣ Values in action matter more than values on a poster

The article calls out how “culture rot” sets in when behaviours don’t match the words. I’ve seen it happen, organisations talk about collaboration yet reward individual silos, or preach trust while tightening control. It’s a slippery slope towards toxicity that leaders often don’t spot until it’s too late.

2️⃣ Culture rarely collapses overnight

It’s not one big incident; it’s the quiet decline. Disengagement. Recognition drying up. Communication fading. Before long, what was once a thriving, values-led culture becomes reactive and cynical. And when that happens, toxic habits take root fast.

3️⃣ Leaders and People teams hold the key

Culture doesn’t maintain itself; it’s lived and modelled every single day. When leadership behaviours slip, when “that’s just how we do things” becomes the excuse, that’s when culture starts to rot. Rebuilding starts with honest reflection, consistent recognition, and making it safe for people to speak up.

💭 If you’re a founder, People leader or HR partner, it might be time to ask:

Are our values really showing up in how we work and lead?
Do our people feel heard and recognised — or wary and worn down?
Are there early signs of toxic behaviour that we’re brushing off as “just tension”?

At tHRive, we believe the antidote to toxicity is trust, empathy, and clarity — because when people thrive, businesses do too. 🌱

If you’d like to talk about how to diagnose culture-health, build resilience into your core People practices, or counter signs of culture rot before they become crises — I’m here and happy to chat.

#PeopleAndCulture #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #HRStrategy #Empathy #PurposeDriven

HR
culture
People and Culture
workplace culture

Kate Lawson

tHRive Partnership

HR Consultant

I’m a strategic People & Culture leader with deep experience building HR functions from the ground up and supporting businesses through growth, change, and complexity.