TITLE:
The Crushing Costs of Toxicity: A Literature Review of the Value of Organizational Support on Toxicity
AUTHORS:
Kristina Belanger
KEYWORDS:
Toxicity, Organizational Support, Organizational Structure, Human Resources, Workplace Management
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Business and Management,
Vol.14 No.3,
April
1,
2026
ABSTRACT: Bullying, incivility, and toxic leadership are elements of toxicity in the workplace that create severe psychological and economic costs on both organizations and their employees. This literature review synthesizes 20 studies published between 2000 and 2024 to examine the costs of toxic workplaces and the mitigating roles of organizational culture and perceived organizational support. Drawing on Equity Theory and Affective Events Theory, this review explains how workplace toxicity influences employee engagement, intentions to leave, and well-being through cognitive and affective mechanisms. The findings indicate that increased health-related issues, reduced productivity, and higher turnover rates are directly tied to toxic environments. On the other hand, the findings indicate that organizational support structures are associated with mitigating negative outcomes. This review advances the understanding of toxic workplace mitigation by organizing fragmented findings into a theoretically grounded framework.