One in ten employees experience toxic leadership

More and more employees in Belgium are experiencing toxic leadership from a manager, according to research by HR services provider Securex and KU Leuven. 

Almost one in ten employees has an extremely controlling or micromanaging boss. This is a significant increase compared to 2021, when the figure was 5.5 per cent.

Blue-collar workers are more likely than white-collar workers to report toxic leadership, at 12.5 per cent and 8 per cent, respectively. The difference can be partly explained by the possibility of remote working for white-collar workers, which can provide a buffer against toxic behaviour. 

Transgressive behaviour

Employees who experience toxic behaviour from a manager are also more likely to experience transgressive behaviour at work. 43.5 per cent say they have been the victim of such behaviour in the last 12 months. This can include verbal or physical aggression, discrimination, and harassment at work. 

Some 26 per cent of employees who have a manager behaving in a toxic way have experienced transgressive behaviour from their manager. Some 17 per cent experience transgressive behaviour from colleagues or external parties.

Passive leadership

A passive leadership style, currently experienced by around 13 per cent of employees, is no better. With this lack of leadership, employees actually experience more transgressive behaviour. 

"Managers should actively support their employees' autonomy, and employees should have the courage to expose abuses," said Veroniek De Neve, psychosocial well-being expert at Securex.

De Neve stressed the importance of good leadership for employers, managers, and employees. Employers must pay sufficient attention to the quality of leadership in their organisation because this has a direct impact on performance, burnout, and staff turnover. 

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