From Toxic to Transformational: Why Culture Must Evolve

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Let’s be real: “work culture” was a buzzword. Something HR plastered on a slide deck or office wall in hopes that free coffee and a Wellness Wednesday would magically fix burnout. But in 2025, that illusion is crumbling. And what’s left? A workforce, especially younger, emotionally exposed generations, demands more than empty slogans.

We’re demanding safety. Support. And absolute psychological security.

After reading Creating Positive Work Cultures Is Non-negotiable Now by Srinath Sridharan and Preetika Mehrotra, I couldn’t help but nod the way through. Let’s face it: Many of us have lived through the trauma of toxic workplaces. I’ve sat in rooms where accountability was optional and emotional intelligence was treated like fluff. I’ve worked under leaders who could deliver numbers but not decency.

And I know I’m not alone.

Workplace culture isn’t just about retention anymore. It’s about survival.

Mental health isn’t a nice-to-have add-on to your benefits packet. It’s as vital as the lock on your office door or the firewall on your network. Toxicity costs more than morale — it costs lives, careers, and whole communities of talent that walk away. The article breaks it down: HR can’t longer “facilitate” culture. It must own it. From recruitment to onboarding to conflict resolution, culture must be embedded into every aspect of the employee experience.

But here’s the thing: sometimes leadership isn’t even aware the culture has turned toxic — not because they don’t care, but because they’re so far removed from the day-to-day experiences of their teams. When your name carries weight and your voice is rarely challenged, it’s easy to assume things are fine. The higher up you go, the quieter the truth gets. That’s why proximity and humility are critical — so leadership doesn’t just lead by policy, but by presence.

That means:

• Hiring for values, not just skills.

• Training managers to lead with empathy, not just deadlines.

• Normalizing vulnerability instead of punishing it.

• Embedding psychological safety as a performance metric — not an afterthought.

And let’s not forget the most basic but overlooked principle: treat people how you want to be treated. That golden rule doesn’t get left at the office door — it’s needed in the office more than ever. Emotional intelligence should be a required skill at every level of leadership. It’s not about being soft, it’s about being smart enough to know that dignity, listening, and accountability drive better results than fear ever will.

Culture must be governed with the same precision as budgets. We measure everything else, so why not measure trust, safety, and inclusion? Why not pulse-check emotional well-being as regularly as you run sales reports?

And if you’re reading this thinking, But culture is everyone’s job, you’re right. But someone has to light the way — and that someone is leadership. HR. Executives. The board. If you’re sitting in a seat of power, ask yourself:

What kind of legacy am I building?

Because culture is not a campaign. It’s not a catchy hashtag or a feel-good initiative. It’s the system you build — and tolerate — every single day.

The future of work depends on brave, honest, human-centered leadership. And while that may sound idealistic, it’s really just overdue.

🖤 Written with love, urgency, and belief in better—Keisha, The Black Girl Escape

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