How to Transparently Talk About Toxic Workplace Cultures with Candidates

In today's competitive job market, your company's culture can be a significant factor in attracting—or detracting—top talent. Today, 1 in 5 US workers believe their workplaces are toxic, and nearly 75% of UK workers say they’ve experienced toxic culture at least once in their lives. 

Organizational culture is multi-faceted—within one organization, you might find a myriad of different microcultures brewing. However, Ginny Clarke, conscious leadership expert and former executive recruiter, ultimately defines culture as “the amalgam of the behavior of the senior-most leaders in the company.” And when there is toxicity at the top, it’s hard not to feel it at the bottom.

How can you transparently discuss culture with candidates without losing them along the way? 

Here are 3 key tips for your next culture interview:

1. Acknowledge the reality of your company culture

Though leaders set the stage, culture can be both top-down and bottom-up. Most companies have an umbrella culture, cornerstoned by your mission and values that bind everyone together, but each team interprets them in their own way—and candidates are quick to sniff out toxicity. 

“Every time there is an imbalance between your core principles and the pressure to achieve growth and financial performance, this creates toxicity,” says Jérémy Clédat, co-CEO of Welcome to the Jungle.

Prior to the interview, familiarize yourself with the team you’re hiring for, and understand their dynamics. What are their key drivers, their ways of working? And how can a candidate see themselves operating within that?

Clarke reinforces the focus on company values as the north star—they represent the ideal ways of working within the organization that everyone is expected to aim for. When culture is shifting, when it strays from that promise, she says, “You can tell a candidate, ‘Hey, things are changing, but our core beliefs and mission remain.’” 

She also notes that personal anecdotes can go a long way—be honest with candidates on how you have managed these scenarios yourself. 

2. Explain the system of checks and balances

While transparency is key, you want to remind candidates that the company still holds its workforce accountable when microcultures don’t match the macro vision. 

“Candidates need to be able to trust that there are systems in place to keep the culture in line with values, at the team level and at the leadership level,” says Clarke.

We’re living in a crisis of accidental management, with 66% of people managers having no formal training—with so many workers reporting toxicity in the workplace, it’s easy to connect the dots.

Candidates need reassurance that leaders are well-equipped, so direct the discussion toward what is being done to strengthen their skills within the company. What internal development opportunities are available? Is there a culture of continuous learning? What rubric are managers and leaders measured against? 

And, when a worker does speak up, are their voices valued, heard, and actioned?

3. Stop looking for people to fit in

Clarke says it’s time to move away from recruiting for a culture fit—not only can it reinforce unconscious biases, but it’s ultimately unreliable in determining job performance. 

In an article for Harvard Business Review, Patty McCord, a senior HR executive and former chief talent officer of Netflix, puts it like this: “What most people really mean when they say someone is a good fit culturally is that he or she is someone they’d like to have a beer with.”

Instead, and especially in the case of toxic culture, you’ll want to look out for change agents. Assess their ability to create a positive impact in the team. 

Clarke suggests asking questions like “Give me examples of how you would deal with
a team member who was disruptive,” because, she says, “that influence can be all it takes to shift the culture.”

Adaptability, resilience, and the ability to influence are all key soft skills that you can evaluate for to see if they’d be catalysts in creating positive change in the team.

Want to keep learning about developing strong team cultures with Ginny Clarke and other future of work experts?

FUTURE(S) is a 6-part eBook series that explores the most pressing trends in the world of work in 2025—from culture to AI, DEI and more. Check out "A case for connection" to explore culture and connection more.