Survey showed nearly 70% of workers have experienced a toxic environment, as poor company leadership, AI, and trust in HR impact modern workplace cultures

FREDERICK, Md., June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — iHire has published its 2026 Toxic Workplace Trends Report, revealing that 68.9% of workers have experienced a toxic workplace as poor leadership, evolving AI adoption, and declining trust in HR influence today’s company cultures. Analyzing the results of a survey of 1,220 U.S. workers, iHire’s report also explores the consequences of workplace toxicity, including retention challenges, employer brand damage, and mental health impacts. The full report is available at https://www.iHire.com/ToxicWorkplacesReport26.

Key findings from iHire’s survey include the following:

Toxic workplaces remain widespread, and poor leadership is often to blame.

Nearly 7 in 10 U.S. workers (68.9%) have worked for an employer they consider toxic, compared to 75.9% who said the same in 2025’s Toxic Workplace Trends Report.
79.1% of respondents who experienced toxicity blamed unethical, unaccountable, or unsupportive leadership, and 72.1% cited poor communication by leaders and managers – the top culprits two years in a row.
17.2% of workers said their managers “rarely” or “never” model respectful and professional behavior.

The consequences of toxic workplaces range from retention challenges and damaged employer brands to stress and mental health issues.

Almost half (47.6%) of respondents have quit a job because of a toxic environment.
Roughly 1 in 3 (32.4%) admitted to crying at work due to toxicity, and 43.2% said they “always” or “often” feel burned out at their job.
61.9% of people have told others about their negative experiences, and more than a quarter (26.2%) advised potential candidates not to pursue a job at a toxic company.

AI is emerging as a solution to toxicity, but many workers are uncertain about its potential.

48.8% of employees said they were “neutral” or “unsure” about AI’s impact on company culture.
Meanwhile, 18.9% said AI is creating a positive impact, largely due to its ability to increase productivity (64.9%) and enhance the quality of work (55.4%).
However, 9.5% said AI is negatively affecting culture. The top reason? The human element is removed from interactions with colleagues, hindering collaboration (52.6%).

A lack of trust in HR is preventing employees from speaking up, leaving conflicts unresolved.

More than a third of employees (38.8%) who witnessed toxic behavior never reported it, with 45.1% saying they doubted HR or leadership would act.
Among those who reported issues, 51.4% said nothing was addressed or resolved.
Additionally, 41.0% of respondents said conflict “always” or “often” goes unresolved at their job.

“While it’s encouraging that fewer workers reported experiencing workplace toxicity compared to last year, employers still have more work to do,” said Launi Vawter, iHire’s Chief of Staff. “Our findings reinforce that leadership sets the tone for workplace culture, and when employees don’t trust management and HR to address concerns, toxic behaviors can persist. Organizations that prioritize accountability, communication, and trust, and use AI to strengthen, not replace, human connections, will be best positioned to retain talent and build healthier workplaces.”

Access iHire’s 2026 Toxic Workplace Trends Report at https://www.iHire.com/ToxicWorkplacesReport26.

Research Methodology
A total of 1,220 U.S. candidates responded to iHire’s Toxic Workplaces Survey in May 2026 via the Qualtrics XM platform. Respondents came from iHire’s job seeker database. All decimal points are rounded to the nearest tenth. The survey defined “toxic workplace” as “a work environment characterized by harmful behaviors, attitudes, and practices that negatively impact your well-being, morale, and productivity.” For many questions, multiple answers could be selected, so percentages add up to a sum greater than 100%. In some instances, survey questions were skipped by an individual respondent.

About iHire
iHire is a leading employment platform that powers a family of 57 industry-focused talent networks, including WorkInSports, iHireVeterinary, iHireDental, iHireConstruction, and iHireChefs. For more than 25 years, iHire has combined advanced job matching technology with our expertise in the talent acquisition space to connect job seekers with employers in their desired sector. With an industry-specific, candidate-centric, and data-driven approach to recruitment, iHire helps candidates find meaningful work and employers find unique, high-quality talent – faster, easier, and more effectively than a general job board. Visit www.iHire.com for more information.