Experiences of employees impacted by the toxic behaviours of leaders and colleagues: a phenomenological study

Mohan, A. (2026) Experiences of employees impacted by the toxic behaviours of leaders and colleagues: a phenomenological study. DBA thesis, University of Reading. doi: 10.48683/1926.00129768

Abstract/Summary

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of UK employees who had encountered toxic behaviours from their leaders and colleagues within the workplace. There are very few studies that have explored the impacts of toxic behaviours on employees’ personal and professional lives through qualitative methods, a gap in the literature. This hermeneutical phenomenological study investigated the experiences of 40 participants through semi structured interviews conducted online via Teams and employed Reflexive Thematic Analysis for data analysis to review the participants’ transcripts. This study provides deep insights into how individuals are impacted by toxic behaviours, how they cope with them and what level of support the organisation offered them, thereby contributing to the growing literature on toxic leadership and behaviours. Analysis of the data collected during the interviews identified five main themes and fifteen sub-themes. The five main themes are: 1. Personal Antecedents, 2. Toxic Behaviours, 3. Enablers of Toxic Behaviours, 4. Inhibitors of Toxic Behaviours, and 5. Outcomes. The author developed a conceptual model linking the themes with Behaviours as the central concept, with Personal Antecedents serving as a precursor to toxic behaviours. Enablers are factors that promote toxic behaviours, while Inhibitors are factors that reduce or prevent them. Outcomes result from experiencing toxic behaviours, and the impacts of these outcomes differ depending on whether the toxic behaviours occur in the presence of enablers or inhibitors. The results of this research emphasise the need to solicit employees' viewpoints while investigating the impacts of toxic leadership and behaviour. The findings indicate that the detrimental effects of toxic leadership may extend beyond immediate physical and psychological reactions, potentially resulting in long-lasting consequences for employees' well-being. This research highlights the need to recognise and address toxic leadership and behaviours to enhance the workplace atmosphere and performance. This study suggests that implementing ethical leadership practices and fostering good corporate cultures could minimise the negative consequences of toxic leadership. This study adds to the existing knowledge on toxic leadership, benefiting both practitioners and academic communities.

Item Type	Thesis (DBA)
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/129768
Identification Number/DOI	10.48683/1926.00129768
Divisions	Henley Business School
Date on Title Page	September 2025
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