Have you ever wondered why toxic workplace cultures are so widespread, even when no one sets out to create them?

In this solo episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien dives deep into the root causes and far-reaching impact of toxic work environments. Drawing insights directly from her upcoming book, Thriving Talent, Aoife unpacks how unintended toxicity takes hold in organisations, the subtle ways it spreads, and the critical role leaders play in either fostering or dismantling unhealthy cultures. She breaks down her Thriving Talent framework, examines the cost of ignored behaviors, and offers reflective questions to empower leaders to create workplaces where people truly thrive.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

1. How organisations fuel toxicity through the behaviours they reward, tolerate, or ignore.
2. The importance of reflecting on the behaviours that you allow tha contradict your values.
3. The consequences of a toxic workplace culture, including high-performing employees burning out or leaving, inconsistency and churn for clients, and mounting leader frustration.

Related Topics Covered:

Psychological Safety, Positive Workplace Culture, Autonomy at Work

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

Episode 279: Trust & High Performance at Work

Episode 289: Leadership Choices that Define your Culture

About Happier at Work®

Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.

If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.

Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Mentioned in this episode:

Thriving Talent book

Book