Course Instructor: Dr. Noman Soomro
Contributors:
Colin Moses
Syed Huzaifa
Saifullah
Zain Shezad
Toxic workplaces can manifest themselves in ways that can’t always be seen, but you can feel it. There’s the tension before meetings begin when everyone silently dreads that one person’s opinion. There’s that same awkward quiet when someone walks into the room, suddenly making the group chat silent. It’s in the tightness in your chest on Sunday night, already bracing for another week in a place that feels more draining than inspiring.
We joke about “bad bosses” or “toxic office politics”, but here’s the thing, this stuff doesn’t just affect the day-to-day. It chips away at people over time. It makes confident people question themselves. It saps energy, kills creativity, and creates a space where everyone is just surviving instead of thriving.
And that’s where HR steps in. But not the typical “rules and policies” HR. I’m talking about the HR that sees beyond the surface and steps up when things go wrong. They are the ones who stand up and speak out against wrongdoing, even in the hardest circumstances, no matter who it is.
Good HR doesn’t just fix problems—it works to prevent them. It’s checking in with the quiet intern, noticing when someone’s energy changes, and making sure that the workplace doesn’t become a place where people feel like they’re just getting through the day.
When toxic behavior is allowed to stay, it affects people individually and weakens the company as a whole. HR can turn things around by creating a positive environment where people thrive. It’s the one place where well-being comes first. When HR gets its job right, employees don’t just feel safe-they feel valued.
