Nearly One in Five Employees Report a ‘Toxic’ Workplace: Survey

The performance reviews are in — and they aren’t great.

Nearly one in five (19%) American workers say their workplace is very or somewhat “toxic,” according to a new survey from the American Psychological Association (APA). 

Those who were less than enthused about their employer were also more than three times as likely to say they experienced “harm” to their mental health at work than those who said they did not have a toxic workplace.

The APA surveyed more than 2,500 employees this past April. The survey was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the APA.

Experiences differed across groups, occupations and the sexes. For example, more women reported a toxic workplace than men (23% vs 15% respectively). Those who worked in upper management were less likely to say they had a toxic workplace than those in middle management (9% vs. 21%).

Stress continues to be a notable issue among workers. The survey revealed that 77% of employees reported work-related stress in the last month. Of those, more than half experienced negative impacts such as emotional exhaustion (31%), a desire to quit (23%) and irritability or anger (19%). 

Likewise, a recent survey by recruitment agency Robert Walters Group reported over a third of respondents said work stress affects them “very often.”

The APA suggests their findings might be the result of poor work culture. “Survey data show that many workers are not getting the breaks from this stress that they both need and want,” the APA reported in a press statement.

Just over one-third of workers said their employer encourages them to take breaks. In addition, only 40% said their employer “offers a culture where time off is respected.”

Some employees also seemed to express their dissatisfaction with meetings, with only 21% of those surveyed reporting they get meeting-free days.

Meanwhile, 22% of employees reported experiencing harassment in the last 12 months, in comparison to 14% the year prior.

It should come as no surprise then, per the APA, that a third of workers said they plan to search for a new job in the coming year.

However, it should be noted that, overall, the majority (77%) of workers in the United States are very or somewhat satisfied with the mental health and well-being support they receive from employers. 

“Our survey data confirm that employees prioritize both physical and psychological support at work and that the practices employers are putting in place are heading in the right direction,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., Ph.D., who serves as the APA’s chief executive officer. “However, it is clear there are many areas that require improvement. The number of workers experiencing not only a toxic workplace, but also increasing amounts of stress and a lack of respect concerning their personal time, is disturbing.”

The APA’s findings track with other recent polls. Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace report revealed a record high of employee stress. The U.S. was among the countries that reported the highest levels of daily stress at work.