While 74.9% of US employees have worked in a toxic workplace, 53.7% have quit their jobs due to a negative work environment, according to a survey released Feb. 4 by employment platform iHire.

Among those who experienced workplace toxicity, 78.7% cited poor leadership/management as the primary cause.

When asked why they believed the company’s leadership contributed to toxicity, 71.9% of workers pointed out a lack of accountability, 65.6% noted favoritism or biased treatment of employees and 52.2% witnessed unethical behaviors or practices.

The survey also found a divide in how employers and employees perceive workplace environments. While 82.7% of employers rated their work environment as “very positive” or “somewhat positive,” only 45.0% of employees felt the same about their current or most-recent job.

However, the survey noted that respondents did not necessarily work for the same companies.

Despite employee dissatisfaction, 75.8% of employers rated relationships between employees and managers at their company as “excellent” or “good,” and 56.8% described employee morale as “very high” or “high.”

Top factors cited by employees for creating a positive work environment include:

• Clear communication from leadership/management, 81.4%
• Staff recognition/appreciation, 70.4%
• Strong work-life balances, 69.0%

Overall, 69.8% of workers who experienced workplace toxicity reported poor communication across the organization. Among these, 88.5% encountered mixed or inconsistent messages from leadership, and 64.6% observed a lack of transparency.

“Our study showed that three out of four people have worked or are currently working in a toxic workplace, yet a large proportion of employers believe their organizations are fostering a positive environment,” iHire President and CEO Steve Flook said in a press release.

Flook noted to ensure a strong culture conducive to recruiting and retaining top talent, employers must truly listen to their associates and act on their feedback.

“Communicating transparently, holding leadership accountable, recognizing and appreciating staff, and implementing effective conflict resolution strategies are just a few ways to nurture an inclusive, engaging and core values-driven workplace,” he said.

Other findings in the report:

• Stress is a serious consequence of a toxic work culture. More than half of workers, 60.4%, reported stress-related health issues due to workplace conditions. Of the 65.1% who cited high stress levels or burnout as characteristics of a toxic workplace, 71.9% attributed it to unmanageable workloads and 67.5% blamed a lack of support for a healthy work-life balance.
• Employers gather employee feedback but don’t always act on it. While 79.2% of employers said they regularly gather employee feedback on how to improve their workplaces — primarily through one-on-one meetings, 73.9%; informal conversations, 64.9%; and anonymous surveys, 57.4% — only 53.2% reported consistently using it to foster a positive work environment.

The survey includes responses from 1,781 workers and 504 employers across 57 industries in the US. It was conducted in December 2024.