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At some point in your professional career, you are likely to cross paths or work alongside a toxic individual, whose presence automatically creates unwanted tension within the workplace.

These types of workers are known to bully other members of staff, belittling them or being unnecessarily difficult as a way of asserting authority.

Although the dismissive and often unpleasant nature of toxic workers can negatively impact workplace culture, research suggests that these individuals are more productive than their friendlier colleagues, churning out more work within a shorter space of time.

Although this may seem like a positive, the trade off between being disruptive and productive can affect the overall performance of your business, as the unhealthy atmosphere creates divisions within the group.

Driving other employees to leave the business entirely, toxic workers can cause huge staff turnover and training costs, creating much bigger financial issues in the long run.

If you already have a toxic worker in your midst, it may be worth minimising their involvement with collaborative projects, and if you’re fortunate enough to have a business free of toxic individuals, then the best advice would be to keep it that way.

During the recruitment process, it can sometimes be difficult to spot a toxic worker as they make an active effort to appear friendly and approachable, giving you no reason to be concerned.

However, with the help of psychometric assessments you can get a better picture of the person behind the well-coached, interview-ready candidate, and the person who will turn up for work on day one.

These assessments will allow you to uncover important personality traits, gaining a clear understanding of what motivates an individual and how they work as part of a team.

This detailed analysis will help you make a more informed decision about who you’re recruiting, filtering out potential toxic workers, who show signs of being self-centred and uninterested in integrating with the wider team.

Assessing your current team can also help you better understand the personalities and motivation of those individuals you trust to get the job done on a daily basis; ideally collaborating effectively.

Although you may be tempted to trust your gut instinct or hire an individual based on their wealth of experience, taking the time to understand a person’s character can mean the difference between recruiting a toxic or collaborative worker.

If you’re looking to recruit a hard-working and approachable individual, contact our team of experts and find out how Prevue Assessments can help you find the perfect candidate at the first time of asking.