It’s the Culture, Not the People: How to Repair a Toxic Workplace Without Starting Over

When morale tanks and teams disengage, leaders often rush to fix the problem by swapping out people—quietly nudging out the “negative ones” or restructuring entire departments. But toxicity doesn’t originate with a few individuals. It spreads when the environment rewards silence, isolates feedback, ignores emotional labor, and favors productivity at any cost.

At Inclusive Knowledge Solutions, we work with libraries, colleges, and academic teams who’ve asked:
Can we fix our toxic culture without firing people?
The answer: yes. But only if you’re willing to look at culture as the problem—not the people.

Below is a step-by-step approach to transforming culture with the team you already have. It’s grounded in equity, trust-building, and shared responsibility.

Step 1: Identify the Real Issues

Not symptoms—systems. Disengagement, high turnover, and team conflict are red flags, not root causes. Start by listening. Use surveys, listening sessions, and informal check-ins to understand what’s been allowed to fester.

🗣️ Ask yourself:
Who feels unheard here? Who is surviving instead of thriving?

Step 2: Create a Plan

Culture change needs structure, not slogans. Build a values-based action plan that reflects what your people say they need—not just what leadership assumes they want.

📋 Make it actionable:

• Set goals that align with culture, not just output

• Tie every action item to a shared value

• Include timelines and space for reflection

Step 3: Build a Coalition

Culture can’t shift through top-down mandates alone. You need champions at all levels—faculty, staff, support teams, and students—who want something better and are willing to co-create it.

🤝 Make it inclusive:
Start with a small, cross-functional group and give them real authority to assess, propose, and guide.

Step 4: Foster Open Communication

Toxicity thrives in silence and secrecy. Build communication systems that promote honesty, model care, and allow feedback to flow without fear.

💬 Normalize truth-telling:

• Establish regular feedback loops

• Use inclusive meeting practices

• Document decisions transparently

Step 5: Lead by Example

Culture is shaped by what leaders tolerate, model, and reinforce. Consistency is key—what you say matters, but what you do matters more.

🌱 Lead with humility:
Admit missteps. Invite disagreement. Treat transparency as a leadership skill.

Step 6: Promote Sustainable Change

Quick fixes don’t change culture. Policies, onboarding, recognition programs, and performance evaluations must all align with the values you’re working toward.

🛠️ Change what holds the culture in place:
If your structure rewards overwork and under-recognition, no team retreat will fix what’s broken.

Step 7: Celebrate Progress

Repair work is hard. Acknowledge the effort it takes. Celebrate the small wins—shifts in tone, new voices at the table, one brave conversation.

🎉 Build momentum through gratitude:
Reinforce what’s working. Recognize people for their investment in creating a better culture.

Final Thought: Don’t Start Over—Start Listening

You don’t need a new team. You need a new environment. If you center strategy and ignore culture, you’ll recycle the same harm. But if you start with trust, care, and shared power, you can move forward—together.

Further Reading

"Case Study: Can You Fix a Toxic Culture Without Firing People?" by Francesca Gino, Harvard Business Review (2018).