Navigating a Toxic Workplace For Dummies (For Dummies

by Catherine Mattice

This friendly, compassionate guide is the antidote to workplace toxicity

Toxic workplaces can be bad for your mental and physical health, and they're one of the leading causes of employee turnover. Navigating a Toxic Workplace For Dummies explores what causes work environments to turn sour, and what you—as an employee, manager or leader—can do about it. You'll learn why people engage in toxic behavior like bullying, harassment, exclusion, and disrespect at work. More importantly, you'll gain the tools and skills to counter that behavior with positivity. Every individual, at every level of an organization, can make a difference in detoxifying the workplace. Don't let the stress of your job environment weigh you down. Let this Dummies guide teach you to support yourself and the people around you.

Discover the signs and symptoms of a toxic workplace Learn why people do toxic things, and how to protect yourself Get advice on reporting harassment and other behaviors to HR Understand how to make organizational change as a manager, HR or leader Lead your organization in a detoxification campaign Navigating a Toxic Workplace For Dummies is a must for anyone who has dealt with or is currently dealing with a toxic situation at work, as well as managers and leaders committed to resolving toxic situations.

Genres: Nonfiction

368 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2025

About the author

Catherine Mattice, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the founder/CEO of Civility Partners, an organizational development firm focused on helping organizations create respectful workplace cultures and specializing in turning around toxic cultures. Civility Partners’ clients range from Fortune 500's to small businesses across many industries. Catherine is a TEDx speaker and an HR thought-leader who has appeared in such venues as USA Today, Bloomberg, CNN, NPR, and many other national news outlets as an expert. She’s an award-winning speaker, author and blogger, and has 50+ courses reaching global audiences on LinkedIn Learning.

Reviews

[Dania]

There were some very good points about employers needing to take into consideration that people come into work and are willing to spend so much time and energy (beyond mere livelihood) is in pursuit of a process and environment wherein they derive a sense of meaning and identity. She frames violations with respect to employees’ sense of safety or belonging not only as toxicity in the workplace, but a violation of an unspoken social contract between an employer and an employee that the employee will be able to effectively and reliably generate and experience meaning and purpose. So an employee turning a blind eye to identity-harming practices or practices which impede productivity, safety, or trust, such as bullying or harassment, can be viewed as a failure to honour the purpose of work, which transcends livelihood. She suggested that it could be helpful for this expectation to be enshrined in writing, since it’s such a core part of jobs, which I agree.

[Night Knowledge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't consider my workplace "toxic," at least systemically, but I think this is a must read for workers everywhere, specifically leaders and managers, though employees and crew members should also learn the ins and outs of navigating a workplace too. I myself am promoting to become a leader in my job, and I can confidently say this book gifted me tools and lessons that I plan to employ in order to better facilitate a healthier and more positive culture in my job. Very applicable, very easy to digest, and very simple to reference. Definitely recommend!