A Psychologically Dangerous Workplace

This is one of the most egregious workplace cultures I’ve heard of. Abbott Pharmaceuticals’ operations in India seem to display criminal levels of workplace neglect, bullying and stress. Based on this article, it seems as though almost all of their practices are designed to prioritize profits over employees and customers, to a literally dangerous point. From hosting sham free clinics to have doctors prescribe only their medication, to putting employees through so much strain that they feel the need to commit suicide – this is a seriously harmful way to run a business. Plus, the bullying that’s clearly going on there is insidious – for example, demanding employees transfer thousands of miles from their homes is completely underhanded and no real way to treat anyone, let alone the people who work for you. You can read more about Abbott Pharmaceuticals at The New York Times. 

Photo: Friends visit a place where one Abbott employee committed suicide. Photo Credit: Atul Loke for NYT

Proof That Positive Work Cultures Are More Productive

The financial costs of psychologically unsafe work environments are self-evident: 60% of workplace accidents are due to stress, 550 million workdays are lost yearly due to work-related stress, and high-pressure companies spend nearly 50% more on health care than their positive-oriented competitors (American Psychological Association). These statistics are also compounded by the human cost – workplace disengagement, bullying, and in extreme cases, violence. Business leaders need to take note of how their corporate cultures create substantive effects on their bottom lines and on their employees. Read the full story at the Harvard Business Review.