10 Toxic Office Behaviors to Avoid at All Costs

I am not a Human Resources expert for sure, but based on my 10+ years experience as Head of Marketing / CMO, I can say that if there is one thing which can ruin a team and drop the performance, it is the toxic work environment.

Any kind of corporate culture comes from the top, so, we as managers, heads, etc., are responsible for keeping the toxicity out of our teams. It is easy? No. Is it important? Yes.

Toxic behaviors in the workplace don’t just harm individuals—they disrupt entire teams, lower productivity, and create a culture of distrust. Here are ten of the most destructive behaviors, with strategies to cope with them when they arise and ways to prevent them altogether.

1. Gossiping and Backstabbing

Spreading rumors, talking negatively about colleagues behind their backs, and engaging in office drama.ossip breeds distrust, damages reputations, and creates unnecessary divisions among team members.

How to Cope:

• Shut down gossip when you hear it by redirecting the conversation to something constructive.
• Confront the source of the rumor professionally and clarify misunderstandings.

How to Prevent It:

• Foster a culture of transparency—open communication minimizes the need for speculation.
• Set clear expectations that gossip is unacceptable through leadership example and company values.

2. Passive-Aggressiveness

Communicating resentment indirectly through sarcasm, procrastination, or subtle sabotage instead of addressing issues head-on. It creates confusion, delays productivity, and erodes trust between team members.

How to Cope:

• Call it out politely but directly—e.g., “I feel like there’s some frustration here. Let’s talk about it openly.”
• Encourage the person to express concerns directly rather than through passive means.

How to Prevent It:

• Promote a feedback-friendly culture where people feel safe voicing concerns.
• Train leaders to model direct, constructive communication.

3. Taking Credit for Others’ Work

Claiming responsibility for work that was done by someone else or failing to acknowledge a colleague’s contributions. It breeds resentment, discourages collaboration, and stifles motivation.

How to Cope:

• Keep records of contributions and be vocal about your involvement in projects.
• If someone takes credit for your work, address it politely but firmly in front of the relevant people.

How to Prevent It:

• Encourage a culture of recognition—regularly acknowledge team contributions.
• Implement clear documentation of work ownership in projects.

4. Avoiding Responsibility (Blame-Shifting)

Refusing to own mistakes, pointing fingers at others, or always finding an external excuse. It kills accountability and leads to a culture where no one takes initiative.

How to Cope:

• Push for a focus on solutions rather than blame in discussions.
• Address blame-shifting directly by asking, “What can we learn from this, and how do we fix it?”

How to Prevent It:

• Foster a growth mindset—mistakes should be learning opportunities, not shameful failures.
• Encourage accountability at all levels through leadership example.

5. Constant Negativity and Complaining

A team member who constantly complains, finds problems instead of solutions, and brings down morale. Negativity spreads quickly and can turn a motivated team into a demoralized one.

How to Cope:

• Redirect complaints to action—ask, “What do you suggest we do about it?”
• Limit exposure to chronic complainers to protect your own mindset.

How to Prevent It:

• Encourage a solutions-oriented culture where concerns are paired with suggestions.
• Address chronic negativity through coaching or feedback discussions.

6. Office Bullying and Intimidation

Using power, manipulation, or hostility to control or intimidate others. It creates a toxic environment, leads to mental health issues, and increases employee turnover.

How to Cope:

• Document incidents and escalate to HR if necessary.
• Stand firm, maintain professionalism, and seek allies for support.

How to Prevent It:

• Implement a zero-tolerance policy for bullying with clear consequences.
• Train managers to recognize and address intimidation behaviors.

7. Hoarding Information (Gatekeeping)

Deliberately withholding information to maintain control or gain a perceived advantage. It slows down workflow, creates dependency, and stifles innovation.

How to Cope:

• Call out the behavior and request transparency.
• Seek alternative sources of information or create shared documentation.

How to Prevent It:

• Promote knowledge-sharing as a core company value.
• Use collaborative tools where information is accessible to all relevant parties.

8. Micromanaging

Over-controlling and closely monitoring every detail of employees’ work instead of trusting them. It kills creativity, lowers morale, and reduces efficiency as employees spend more time explaining than doing.

How to Cope:

• Set clear expectations with your manager about autonomy and workflow.
• Provide proactive updates to ease their need for control.

How to Prevent It:

• Train managers on delegation and trust-building.
• Encourage leaders to focus on outcomes, not processes.

9. Lack of Boundaries and Overwork Culture

Expecting employees to be available 24/7, discouraging work-life balance, or guilt-tripping those who set boundaries. It leads to burnout, resentment, and lower long-term productivity.

How to Cope:

• Set firm boundaries and communicate them clearly (e.g., “I won’t be checking emails after work hours”).
• Push back against unrealistic workloads with data on productivity decline due to overwork.

How to Prevent It:

• Encourage leadership to respect boundaries and model healthy work habits.
• Implement policies that discourage excessive overtime (e.g., no emails after hours).

10. Favoritism and Office Cliques

Giving special treatment to certain employees, forming exclusive groups, and fostering a divisive team environment. It destroys team cohesion, discourages hard work, and breeds resentment.

How to Cope:

• Build diverse relationships across teams rather than relying on a single “inner circle.”
• Address favoritism diplomatically by discussing fairness with leadership.

How to Prevent It:

• Implement transparent evaluation and promotion processes.
• Encourage inclusion by mixing teams for projects and decision-making.

Final Thoughts

Toxic workplace behaviors don’t just happen—they thrive in environments where leadership ignores or enables them. Proactively addressing these issues through clear policies, strong leadership, and an open culture can prevent dysfunction before it starts.

The strongest teams aren’t the ones without conflict; they’re the ones that handle conflict effectively and maintain a culture of mutual respect, transparency, and growth.