As a human resources consultant, I have encountered clients facing structural reporting challenges where managers report to junior employees based on tenure rather than hierarchy.
This has led to miscommunication and a work environment where employees experience undue pressure and unprofessional feedback.
Even worse, some supervisors delegate their responsibilities to junior employees and take credit for the work without acknowledging their subordinates’ contributions. A typical example is when a junior manager is required to draft official submissions under the supervisor’s name while simultaneously being labelled unproductive.
Additionally, delays caused by supervisors are often blamed on subordinates, fostering a hostile work environment marked by intimidation and professional undermining.
Long tenure can sometimes breed a sense of entitlement among employees, making them resistant to change and new perspectives.
Employees who have been with a company for decades may develop an ‘ownership mindset,’ dismissing fresh ideas and discouraging innovation.
Overstaying in a company may create a culture where senior employees feel irreplaceable, leading to resistance to new talent and progress.
A toxic workplace emerges when long-serving employees undermine new hires with phrases like, “You can’t tell me anything; I’ve been here for 30 years.”
When tenure turns into complacency, it fosters gatekeeping behaviours that make it difficult for new employees to integrate and contribute positively. A stagnant workforce, where senior employees feel untouchable, often leads to resistance to change and a discouraging environment for new hires.
Longevity in a company should bring wisdom, not arrogance. When it fosters a toxic culture, it stifles growth and innovation. An organisation’s progress is hindered when senior employees prioritise tenure over teamwork, making new hires feel unwelcome.
Toxic workplaces breed silent suffering, where employees endure bullying, intimidation, and psychological abuse at the hands of insecure supervisors.
When leadership fails to address workplace toxicity, competent employees are unfairly labelled as incompetent, while true underperformers hide behind power and manipulation.
Supervisors who feel threatened by fresh talent often sabotage new employees by rejecting ideas, taking credit for their work, and misrepresenting their abilities to senior management.
A workplace where gossip, favouritism, and fabrication dictate success becomes a breeding ground for stress, anxiety, and career destruction.
Many employees in Namibia suffer in silence under toxic leadership, where reporting workplace mistreatment leads to victimisation rather than resolution. Toxic leadership does not empower employees; it suppresses, manipulates, and ultimately forces skilled professionals out of their jobs.
When executives turn a blind eye to workplace bullying, they enable a culture where harassment, credit theft, and victimisation thrive.
No one should have to choose between their mental health and job security.
Yet, in toxic workplaces, seeking counselling is weaponised against employees instead of being encouraged.
A workplace driven by power games instead of meritocracy destroys innovation, morale, and ultimately, the organisation itself.
The true danger of a toxic workplace is that it drives away those who bring value while protecting those who hold power at any cost.
A toxic work environment can severely damage an organisation’s reputation, performance, and ability to retain skilled employees.
Addressing these issues requires strong leadership, clear policies, and a culture of respect, transparency, and accountability.
If you find yourself in a toxic workplace, seek help, prioritise your well-being, and remember that no situation lasts forever. Leaders who exploit others must remember that life is unpredictable, and ultimately, only God holds the future.
*Victoria Ndahala Shamhe is a Human Resources Consultant based in Windhoek