Toxic Work Habits Don’t Quit When You Do: Why That Last Job Is Still Affecting You

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Early in my career, I worked in several incredibly toxic work environments. At one job, the owner pitted her employees against one another, rewarded tattling, instigated cruel gossip, and prevented her people from taking ownership of their responsibilities, even if it advanced her business and reduced her workload.  

At another job, I saw employees punished for not coming to work when they had the flu. I worked as a server in a restaurant where the owner only hired young women as his servers and made uncomfortable remarks about what we should wear and how we should look despite many of us being teenagers.  

Over time, the experiences built up, and I learned to navigate these environments as best I could. Unfortunately, to survive in a toxic work environment, you have to adopt toxic behaviors. You develop a general mistrust of leadership and have your guard up at all times.  

When I met Wendy and she hired me at Q4i, I brought those same ideas and fears with me. I was on guard, waiting for the toxic behavior to emerge because that’s how every business owner behaves, right? Only, weirdly, it didn’t happen. 

In my case, I had to do some self-reflection and gingerly initiate conversations to find out if the good environment I was experiencing was for real. I had to talk about my past experience and work through it. I had to learn new ways of thinking about my environment and adjust my behaviors and expectations. Most of all, I had to learn that it was safe to do so. 

Toxicity may be unintentional  

The effects of bad work environments don’t disappear when the instigator leaves. The toxicity lingers in cultures and within people, shaping company culture and influencing how employees interact long after the toxic behavior is gone.  

We’ve discussed this many times at Q4i, understanding how past habits created for survival influence current behaviors. We call it leftover toxicity—an invisible but powerful force that can undermine trust, collaboration, and overall workplace morale. 

These leftovers are as much about the environment as they are about the people who’ve adapted to survive in it. In toxic workplaces, employees often develop coping mechanisms that help them keep their jobs, fit in, or avoid conflict.  

These learned behaviors—like showing up to work when sick, working unnecessarily long hours, making excuses for delayed responses, not using allotted PTO, scrambling for answers instead of admitting "I don’t know," or even bragging about how busy they are—might have been essential for survival in that company.  

However, these bad behaviors don’t serve well in healthier environments and can unintentionally perpetuate negative dynamics. 

Why does leftover toxicity persist? 

The habits we develop to survive difficult situations can stay with us, even when we move to a new organization. Our habits linger, influencing how we show up at work, interact with colleagues, and respond to stress. We hang onto the behaviors for a variety of reasons: 

Adapt to survive 

Employees adjust their behaviors to protect themselves from negative experiences, and they don’t change overnight. If they’ve learned to avoid confrontation, stay silent in meetings, or keep their heads down to avoid scrutiny, those habits will take time to unlearn. 

Trust takes time to build back  

If employees have been burned before, they need proof that things will be different. One leadership change or policy shift isn’t enough to convince them. 

Behaviors define workplace function  

If a toxic leader encouraged micromanagement, negativity, or unhealthy competition, those behaviors become part of how the workplace functions, even after someone leaves. 

Lack of awareness  

Employees from toxic environments may not even realize they carry these habits. They were learned as coping mechanisms, often deeply ingrained, and can resurface in new situations, especially under stress. 

These patterns can derail us and our team’s performance and make it difficult to keep high performers on the team. We’re not looking to assign blame for these behaviors; rather, we want to help our people understand how past experiences shape behavior and create a path to unlearn and grow. 

How to repair the damage 

Whether a new team member is demonstrating toxic behaviors or you're working on recovering from a past toxic employee, begin by openly recognizing what's happening and discussing it with the person or the team. Acknowledging that some learned toxic behaviors were survival mechanisms helps de-stigmatize the process of unlearning them.  

It’s okay to admit, "I picked up this habit because it helped me succeed in a tough environment." Acknowledging this is the first step toward growth. 

Integrate this understanding into onboarding 

When new employees join, create space to discuss workplace culture, expectations, and common challenges. This helps new team members identify leftover behaviors and visualize healthier alternatives.  

Normalize the process of unlearning 

Make it clear that unlearning toxic behaviors is part of professional growth. Provide coaching and education that helps people recognize old habits, understand why they developed, and replace them with healthier behaviors. When this process is normalized, employees feel less ashamed and more empowered to change. 

Reinforce psychological safety 

Employees need to know it’s safe to speak up. Leaders should encourage open discussions, actively listen to concerns, and ensure there are no repercussions for providing honest feedback.
If past toxicity involved micromanagement, emphasize trust and autonomy. If it was about favoritism, establish fair policies.  

Give it time and keep reinforcing change 

Don’t expect an immediate turnaround. Companies that commit to cultural repair see stronger teams, higher trust, and improved performance. The key is sustained effort, transparent leadership, and a culture prioritizing respect, collaboration, and the understanding that unlearning toxic behaviors is a normal, necessary part of growth.