Only a quarter of employees trust human resources to handle toxic workplace behaviors, while nearly two-thirds who reported incidents said their organization failed to act, according to a new survey from employment platform iHire.
The survey, which polled 1,781 U.S. workers across 57 industries, found that 51.8% of respondents had witnessed or experienced favoritism or bias, while 50% cited workplace gossip. More serious issues, such as bullying or harassment (31.4%), discrimination (26.4%), and unethical or illegal activities (25.9%), were also reported.
Despite these concerns, many employees are hesitant to report issues. While 53% said they brought toxic behaviors to a manager, supervisor, or HR representative, 36.7% chose not to report incidents at all. Of those who did file complaints, 65.2% said their organization took no action.
“It’s concerning that nearly half of workers don’t trust HR to address negative or toxic behaviors, including favoritism, bias, gossip, and dishonesty,” said Chrisanne Bowden, principal HR business partner at iHire. “To ensure a positive work environment where all employees can thrive, employers need to work with their HR teams, managers, and other leaders to enable a culture of trust, transparency, and communication with well-defined processes for mitigating conflict.”
The survey found that 45.9% of workers said they did not trust HR to address toxic workplace behaviors, while 25% said they did. Another 16.7% were unsure, and 8.3% reported not having an HR department.
The findings underscore a significant trust gap between employees and HR, raising concerns about workplace culture and conflict resolution processes. Experts suggest organizations must take proactive steps to build credibility, such as implementing clear reporting mechanisms, enforcing accountability, and fostering open communication.
