What impact does it have?

The longer you work in a toxic environment, the more time and money it will cost you to recover from psychological violence. The person(s), who caused the harm, either directly or by turning a blind eye, will not share in these expenses, even though you helped them build their careers and fortune.

The psychological violence experienced in toxic workplaces can be overwhelming. The journey to recovery can be long, and sometimes the injuries are so severe that they make it impossible to achieve the quality of life you once dreamed of. Without your health, it becomes highly unlikely that you can become the best version of yourself.

To offer a glimpse into the consequences of toxic leadership on individuals, here are a couple of quotes from people who experienced it:

Impact on Mental Health:

"I felt like I was losing my mind. The constant stress and manipulation left me in a constant state of anxiety. I was unable to assess the quality of my work, to control my anger, my memory was affected and I couldn’t solve the most basic problems."

Impact on Physical Health:

"The stress at work led to sleepless nights, digestive issues, and even high blood pressure. My body was screaming for help. Until one day I couldn’t talk any more and was hospitalized for exhaustion. Until today I am dealing with the aftermath of having damaged my body to such an extent."

Impact on Social and Family Life:

"I became so distant from my family and friends. I didn't have the energy to socialize anymore or to connect with my partner. In the end, I felt like all I had left was work. Years later I massively regret missing out on important events and just the day-to-day. Being mentally and emotionally absent permanently reshaped the relationship I have with my, now, adult children”.

The research conducted by VENT is ongoing and this website is continuously growing. To learn about the impact of toxic leadership on communities, businesses and the environment, please come back to this page at a later point.

To learn about how toxic leadership manifests in practice, visit our Experiences of toxic leadership page to read stories, which illustrate these harmful patterns and their impact.

To read about what to consider when you find yourself working in an unhealthy environment facilitated by a toxic leader visit our How to deal with toxic leadership page.