I’m just going to jump right in here and say that training alone won’t fix toxic behavior or turn around your toxic workplace. If it could, we’d all be ordering workshops like takeout.
When positive workplace training topics are done right as part of a broader and more intentional culture strategy, however, it can be a catalyst. Training offers tools, vernacular, confidence, connections, and the opportunity to shift old patterns.
Since my book, Navigating a Toxic Workplace For Dummies, is due out on June 26 (and you should pre-order it) I’m sharing an excerpt every week until it’s out. This week it’s about four essential training topics that can jumpstart meaningful progress in your endeavor to navigate and even turn around your toxic workplace.
Positive Workplace Training Topics That Set the Stage for Culture Change
The truth is there’s no shortage of training programs available for communication skills, each promising to enhance workplace culture in unique ways. Though the vast amount of options available for training may feel overwhelming, the key to locating the right topics for your culture change training program is to focus on foundational areas that address core challenges and set the stage for long-term success.
To that end, start with four essential training topics, each designed to create a safer, more collaborative, and productive work environment:
1. Civility and collaboration
When done well, the tools provided in a program like this will help the workforce approach differing perspectives with an open mind to foster an environment where respect guides every interaction.
2. Interpersonal communication
Having deep knowledge of communication in interpersonal relationships will equip employees with the tools to connect and understand one another effectively. A training course on this topic should include the basics of how people develop their sense of self and their perceptions of others, and provide tools for active listening, empathetic conversations, and conflict resolution. Armed with this information, employees are prepared to turn misunderstandings and disagreements into opportunities for growth and stronger collaboration.
3. Harassment prevention – but not just the complianc-y one
This program should provide the foundation for a workplace where respect, civility, psychological safety and inclusivity are prioritized. This training should not only define harassment in clear and practical terms, it should also empower employees to address inappropriate behavior outside of harassment when they see it — including incivility or microaggressions.
4. How to proactively build a positive workplace culture
This program should connect all of the elements above and align employee behavior with the organizational values you’re pushing forward. This training should teach strategies for taking consistent, proactive action toward a better work environment. A strong, thriving culture doesn’t just happen — it requires consistent, intentional effort and employees and managers who have the right tools.
(Navigating a Toxic Workplace For Dummies offers a longer list of suggested training programs, including for your managers and leaders.)
Ready to Go Beyond the Basics?
I’ve seen it too many times, organizations roll out a “soft skills” training series to solve a problem that training won’t solve, and then they move on. Employees know it’s performative. They can tell when a training is thrown at them as a quick fix, instead of as part of a meaningful strategy. And that realization may actually drive engagement down, because the training with no backing feels like a waste of time.
If your team is burned out, disengaged, or just plain tired of dysfunction, the answer isn’t more fluff. It’s training that’s grounded in real tools, real research, and real conversations.
Navigating a Toxic Workplace For Dummies launches on June 26 and it’s packed with even more tools, real-world examples, and strategies to create a positive workplace.
Whether you’re in HR, managing a team, or the person who’s been quietly carrying the emotional burden of a toxic workplace, this book is for you. You don’t have to do it alone and you don’t have to guess what to do next.
When you pre-order the book, you’ll get access to our virtual book launch party on July 9th, a fun, interactive event where we’ll talk about the book and how to create lasting change (with a few surprises thrown in!).
And we’re thrilled to be joined by Garry Ridge, renowned Culture Coach and Chairman Emeritus of WD-40 Company and we’ll be giving away copies of his best-selling book, Any Dumb Ass Can Do It. Mark your calendar. This one’s going to be fun!
