Toxic work environments are taking a serious toll on South African employees’ mental health, with one in four workers diagnosed with depression.

Professor Renata Schoeman from the Stellenbosch Business School says workplace bullying and harassment often go unreported because many victims choose resignation over risking retaliation.

According to Professor Schoeman, over a quarter of resignations last year were linked to conflicts with line managers, including bullying and harassment.

She warns that the culture of silence around workplace abuse is now fuelling the country’s mental health crisis.

Schoeman says toxic works environments impact on employees’ mental health, arguing that it is currently estimated that it contributes to one in four working South Africans diagnosed with depression.

“But even further than that, it’s not only depression. It can manifest as burnout, damaged self-esteem, anxiety, and also even physical ailments due to the stress. At an organisational level, the financial impact of this toxicity leads to a drain of talent and innovative capacity. There’s lost productivity, absenteeism, a high staff turnover with increased recruitment and training cost,” adds Schoeman.

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