Teresa A. Daniel - Organizational Toxin Handlers: The Critical Role of HR, OD, and Coaching Practitioners in Managing Toxic Workplace Situations

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As a former HR leader, organization development consultant, and executive coach, it is my honor to write the foreword of this very important book. The research that is at its foundation builds on the work of the late Peter Frost, who coined the term toxic handler. Twenty years ago, Frost saw that those people in organizations who voluntarily shoulder the sadness, frustration, bitterness and anger that are endemic to organizational life were not only unsung heroes who performed a much needed function in the company, but individuals who, over time, often suffered from the weight of this emotionally intense work.

We need our toxin handlers more than ever today. Organizations are facing an accelerating pace of change, often disruptive change, upending familiar ways of doing things. Then there are mergers and acquisitions, downsizing, restructuring, increasing workloads, bullying bosses, and an unrelenting focus on outcomes, despite avowals that people are the number one asset. Beyond the growing demands at work, people are often struggling to deal with health concerns, aging parents, and childcare. As Daniel points out, the causes of stress in an organization are manifold, and sometimes chronic.

When toxin handlers help employees to get back on track or provide wise counsel to leaders who need to convey difficult messages, they help the organization to achieve its goals and purpose. They also save coworkers from a debilitating spiral of negativity and hopelessness. As Frost had noted, these kinds of painful emotions can be contagious, seeping like poison into the system, undetected. Unhealthy organizations do not attract or keep talented employees and they do not achieve great results.

Although toxin handlers can be anyone, the responsibility typically falls to the companys HR professionals, who provide behind-the-scenes support to both employees and managers. It is this group that Daniels research addresses. Although HR practitioners naturally bring empathetic listening skills and a desire to solve problems, theirs is not always an easy task.

In the role of intermediary or systems support, HR leaders are often caught in the middle, trying to meet the needs of workers and managers who turn to them for guidance. In some cases, managers want HR to do their dirty workconvey unpleasant messages or clean up a poorly handled situation. And sometimes the best solution for the employee is not necessarily the best for the organization.

The pressures can mount as the HR professional responds to the various requests to provide emotional support and work with people to solve problems. Toxin handling is only part of their job, and is often not recognized for its importance, the time involved, and the toll it takes. One of the reasons for this is that it usually takes place behind closed doors and senior management often does not recognize or appreciate how much it is done.

Handling strong negative feelings, being regularly in the presence of troubled employees, and managing their own emotional toil is not something many HR practitioners have been trained for. As Daniels research found, they are usually compassionate individuals who went into the field because they profoundly care about people. They feel good when they can help alleviate suffering in the workplace and develop creative solutions to problems that interfere with an employees functioning. Sometimes these things are hard to achieveor the amount of help that is needed is overwhelming. For the beleaguered HR professional, often feeling alone in their role or caught in the middle, the strain can be immense, leading to burnout or loss of spirit.

This book provides not only insight into the value of toxin handling, but also what is needed to support those who carry out this role in doing so in a way that is healthy. Some of the solutions are systemicchanges that organizations can make to acknowledge the need for this role and how to support those who provide it. Examples are including the toxin handling function in the HR job description, providing training and resources, rewarding this behavior, and enabling community support for the professional who engages in this emotionally taxing work. To prevent toxic behavior in the first place, the organization can screen prospective managers for their people skills, hold people accountable for civil and compassionate behavior, and invest in skills workshops in conflict resolution, communication, and emotional intelligence.