A new report reveals that toxic workplace cultures remain a significant challenge for employers in 2026, with nearly seven in 10 US workers reporting they have experienced a toxic work environment during their careers.
According to iHire’s newly released 2026 Toxic Workplace Trends Report, 68.9% of surveyed employees said they have worked for an employer they considered toxic. While that figure marks a modest improvement from the 75.9% reported in the previous year’s survey, the findings suggest workplace toxicity continues to affect employee retention, mental health, productivity, and organizational performance.
The report, based on responses from 1,220 US workers, examined how leadership behaviours, artificial intelligence adoption, and employee trust in human resources are shaping today’s workplace cultures.
POOR LEADERSHIP DRIVES WORKPLACE TOXICITY
Leadership failures emerged as the leading contributor to toxic work environments for the second consecutive year. Among employees who reported experiencing toxicity, 79.1% attributed the problem to unethical, unaccountable, or unsupportive leadership. Additionally, 72.1% identified poor communication from leaders and managers as a major factor.
The survey also found that 17.2% of workers said their managers rarely or never demonstrate respectful and professional behaviour, while 37.2% believe leaders communicate ineffectively across their organisations. Beyond leadership concerns, workers identified several additional contributors to toxic workplace environments. More than two-thirds (68.8%) cited unfair treatment, favouritism, discrimination, and inequities as major causes of toxicity. Meanwhile, 65.0% pointed to a lack of support, recognition, and professional development opportunities, while 63.3% blamed harmful workplace cultures characterised by gossip, fear, blame and poor collaboration.
These findings mirror earlier research shows that toxic workplace cultures have fueled trends such as “rage applying,” where dissatisfied employees rapidly seek new employment opportunities to escape unhealthy work environments. “While it’s encouraging that fewer workers reported experiencing workplace toxicity compared to last year, employers still have more work to do,” said Launi Vawter, Chief of Staff at iHire. “Our findings reinforce that leadership sets the tone for workplace culture and when employees don’t trust management and HR to address concerns, toxic behaviours can persist.”
TOXIC WORKPLACES DAMAGE RETENION, BRANDS AND WELLBEING
The consequences of workplace toxicity extend far beyond employee dissatisfaction. Nearly half of respondents (47.6%) said they had quit a job because of a toxic environment, underscoring the direct impact toxic cultures can have on employee retention and recruitment efforts.
The findings align with previous reports showing that increasing workplace toxicity is driving more employees to actively search for new opportunities. The research found that toxic work environments are increasingly pushing workers to reassess their careers and pursue new jobs.
The iHire survey also highlighted significant mental health concerns. Roughly one-third of workers (32.4%) reported crying at work due to workplace toxicity, while 33.8% admitted taking time off specifically to avoid toxic environments. Negative workplace experiences are also affecting employer reputation. More than six in ten workers (61.9%) said they have shared negative experiences with others, 26.2% reported actively discouraging prospective candidates from applying, and 11.9% said they had posted negative online reviews about former employers.
BURNOUT REMAINS PESRISTANT WORKPLACE CHALLENGE
Employee burnout continues to be one of the clearest indicators of workplace toxicity. More than four in ten respondents (43.2%) said they “always” or “often” feel burned out at work, while nearly two-thirds of workers who experienced toxic environments cited high stress levels and burnout as defining characteristics of their workplace.
Additionally, 26.2% reported that managers frequently overstep work-life boundaries by expecting employees to respond to emails after hours or work during personal time. Younger generations may be particularly vulnerable to these challenges. Separate recent research found that three-quarters of Gen Z and Millennial employees would consider leaving jobs because of toxic workplace cultures.
The findings highlight growing concerns among employers and HR leaders that unchecked workplace stress may contribute to disengagement, absenteeism and higher turnover rates.
LACK OF TRUST PREVENTS STAFF FROM SPEAKING UP
The iHire report found that many employees remain reluctant to report toxic behaviour due to a lack of confidence in HR departments and company leadership. Among workers who witnessed toxic behaviour, 38.8% said they never reported the issue. Of those employees, 45.1% cited doubts that HR or leadership would take meaningful action, while 35.9% feared retaliation.
Even among employees who did report concerns, more than half (51.4%) said their issues were never addressed or resolved. Additionally, 41.0% of respondents indicated that workplace conflict “always” or “often” remains unresolved. Employees also reported experiencing or witnessing a broad range of toxic behaviors, including favouritism (64.2%), gossip (63.9%), micromanagement (53.2%), bullying or harassment (39.0%), discrimination (34.8%), and unethical or illegal activities (30.7%).
Concerns surrounding toxic management are not unique to US workplaces. Previous reports in Fair Play Talks revealed that one-third of UK employees said they had suffered under toxic managers, highlighting the global nature of poor leadership and workplace misconduct.
EMPLOYEES DIVIDED ON AI IMPACT
Artificial intelligence adoption is rapidly reshaping the modern workplace. According to the survey, 61.5% of employees said their organisations are already using AI to some extent. Many employees remain uncertain about AI’s long-term cultural impact, with 48.8% reporting they are neutral or unsure about its influence on company culture. However, 18.9% said AI is having a positive impact, largely because it improves productivity (64.9%), enhances work quality (55.4%) and sparks creativity and innovation (49.8%).
At the same time, 9.5% of respondents indicated that AI is negatively affecting workplace culture. More than half of those employees (52.6%) said the technology reduces human interaction and collaboration among colleagues. Additional concerns included job displacement (44.0%), unrealistic productivity expectations from leaders (37.9%), poor AI implementation (32.8%), and increased employee surveillance (31.9%). Vawter noted that organisations should focus on using AI to complement—not replace – human relationships.
“Organisations that prioritise accountability, communication, and trust, and use AI to strengthen, not replace, human connections, will be best positioned to retain talent and build healthier workplaces,” she said.
EMPLOYEES WANT HEALTHIER WORKPLACE CULTURES
While the survey highlights persistent workplace challenges, employees also provided organisations with a roadmap for creating healthier cultures. Nearly eight in 10 workers (79.0%) said clear communication from leadership and management would have the greatest impact on improving workplace culture.
Employees also emphasized stronger work-life balance initiatives (65.1%), management training focused on respectful behaviour (63.7%), employee recognition programs (63.3%), continuous employee feedback initiatives (61.0%), and support for wellness and mental health (59.8%).
The findings suggest organisations seeking to improve retention and engagement should prioritise transparent leadership, accountability, employee recognition and trust-building initiatives.
WORKPLACE TOXICITY REMAINS A GLOBAL TOXICITY
Additional studies suggest certain employee groups may experience toxicity differently. Research previously covered by Fair Play Talks found that women are more likely than men to experience toxic workplace cultures, raising important questions about equity, inclusion, and organisational accountability.
Toxic workplace cultures have also had a significant impact on industry-specific retention. Earlier reporting found that nearly half of technology employees working in toxic environments planned to leave their organisations, demonstrating how culture can directly influence turnover in highly competitive sectors such as technology.
The issue is not new. During the Great Resignation, workplace culture emerged as a leading driver of employee turnover, with previous research finding that toxic cultures played a major role in employees voluntarily leaving their jobs.
TOXIC WORKPLACE TRENDS
iHire’s 2026 Toxic Workplace Trends Report suggests workplace culture is increasingly becoming a strategic business issue rather than solely an HR concern. As employees continue to prioritise transparency, accountability, mental health support, work-life balance and authentic human connection, organisations that fail to address toxic behaviours may face growing retention challenges, reputational risks and talent shortages.
As AI adoption expands and employee expectations evolve, employers that prioritize trust, accountability and healthy workplace cultures will likely be best positioned to attract and retain top talent in the years ahead.
Click here to read the 2026 Toxic Workplace Trends Report.
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