Uber has been plagued with scandals that led to CEO Travis Kalanick s forced
resignation. Here s what you can learn from the fallout and how to spot
toxicity in your own workplace.
By Bryan Lufkin
21 June 2017
Uber has trailblazed the ride-sharing industry, spread to 662 cities worldwide
and has made a billionaire out of founder Travis Kalanick.
But all that Silicon Valley-style disruption which has turned public
transport on its head around the globe hasn t safeguarded the company from
immense turmoil. Because today, at the pressure of investors, Kalanick resigned
as CEO.
His dramatic departure follows months of scandals about sexual harassment,
macho culture and the departure of senior executives, and is a snapshot of one
of the most stunning CEO roller-coaster stories in modern business history.
Uber s name has now become synonymous with many of the hallmarks of toxic work
culture
Unfortunately for the $70bn California company, its name has now become
synonymous with many of the hallmarks of toxic work culture: HR fiascos,
ignoring employee benefits, and an arrogant bro culture that perpetuates
sexism and reckless decision-making in the tech industry.
But these scandals are far from limited to Uber. The red flags of toxic work
culture are all too common across all industries.
Here are some of the classic signs you should look out for and what you
should do if your company resembles a certain former start-up with a
German-sounding name.
A boss who yells, bullies, or antagonises. This is different to tough love or
the rough personality of a no-nonsense manager. A bully boss one who
manipulates and humiliates their staff undermines stability and trust
throughout the workplace. Before going over your boss s head, though, consult
with your colleagues to see if they feel the same way if the team is unified,
there may be ways to solve the problem as a group.
A success at all costs philosophy. If the boss s management style is
no-holds-barred as Kalanick s was be wary. While a slash-and-burn method
may lead to meteoric results as it did with Uber it can lead to rapid,
Icarus-like fall, too. Better to get out quick before the plunge.
Unfair treatment of workers. Nothing cultivates a toxic work environment more
than withholding basic employee rights. Uber faced multiple legal blowbacks
following claims that it failed to give its drivers minimum wage or paid
holiday.
Your boss is a control freak. Or worse, he or she pushes out other top
executives at your company, as was the case with Dov Charney, former CEO of
American Apparel. Entrepreneurs who never give up any control, or fail to
bring in professional managers, tend to blow up at some point, Sydney
Finkelstein wrote. Hubris never wins.
Absent management. If your manager barely interacts with you or isn t even in
the office a lot to begin with this will definitely be a roadblock to your
success. JC Penney CEO Ron Johnson barely tried to connect with rank-and-file
employees, who found his regular video broadcasts more self-promotional than
motivational (for instance, Ron Johnson s 50th day at JC Penney), especially
when they were taped at his Palo Alto home.
Bad press. If your company is high-profile enough to be covered in the news
during its more challenging moments, ask yourself: How much are you willing to
stick by the bad decisions being made? How much do you believe in the company s
mission? How long can you explain away bad management and constant turmoil? The
answer, in many cases, is probably not very long.
When push comes to shove, though, there are only so many tips you can employ or
stress you can endure. Remember, life s too short to endure a toxic workplace
if your company isn t a happy place to work, it may be time to start looking
for one that is.