The rise of hybrid and remote working has coincided with a reduction in employees witnessing ‘toxic’ behaviours including bullying, harassment and sexism.
A survey of more than 1,000 professionals by business software advisory firm Capterra UK found that 53% of employees that work from home say their work culture is not toxic, up from 48% who said so before remote and hybrid working became more commonplace.
More than a third (35%) said that gossip is much or somewhat less prevalent than when they worked in an office or on site. Arguing and bullying were also witnessed less frequently by 31% and 28% respectively.
A fifth reported a reduction in sexual harassment since their organisation’s remote or hybrid working policy was launched, while 19% said sexism had reduced.
Capterra UK suggested that the improvement in behaviour could be down to an increase in the use of employee monitoring tools. A quarter of respondents knew their employer tracked their activity while they worked remotely, while another 25% were unsure. Thirty-nine per cent of respondents agreed such tools helped reduce toxic cultures at work.
Toxic behaviour at work
Capterra UK content analyst Eduardo Garcia Rodriguez said: “Toxic behaviours have slightly reduced since the move to remote or hybrid work but still exist. Businesses need to explore new ways to detect toxic behaviour.
“One solution could be employee monitoring software, which helps employers monitor platforms to control inappropriate behaviour. However, employees need to be aware of their use in order to build trust in the digital environment.”
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Remote and hybrid working continued to be preferred by employees, the research found. Six in 10 said they would consider leaving their job if they no longer had the option to work from home.
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