The Most Toxic Industries for Workers: New Study Finds 72% of Employees Have Quit Because of Workplace Toxicity

A new nationwide study from Shegerian Conniff reveals the scale and shape of workplace toxicity in America, who it hurts, where it concentrates, and which industries and states are most affected. As of 2024, the U.S. employed 161 million people aged 16+, roughly 60% of the population. Yet an estimated 72% of employees, nearly 116 million workers, say they have left a job due to a toxic environment. The study details the most toxic industries, the most toxic states, the behaviors and leadership failures that fuel harmful cultures, and actionable steps to reverse the trend.

What Toxic Workplaces Look Like, At Scale

Of the nation’s 161 million workers, 85.3 million are men (65.2% of the male population) and 76 million are women (57.5% of the female population). According to study data, 61.2 million men and 54.7 million women have quit roles due to toxic conditions. Toxic culture is not a vibe; it’s a system, a repeating pattern of poor leadership, fear-based management, unfair treatment, gossip and cliques, low morale, poor communication, empty DEIB promises, disrespect, toxic competition, lack of recognition and growth, unreasonable demands, and micromanagement. It’s the opposite of psychological safety and a breeding ground for burnout.

Why Toxicity Is a Business Risk (Not Just “Bad Morale”)

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Toxic workplaces inflate healthcare costs (stress-related illness), reduce productivity (absenteeism and presenteeism), increase turnover (replacement costs can approach 2x salary), and damage employer brands (public reviews deter talent). Teams stop trusting each other, collaboration breaks down, and shortcuts creep in, opening the door to ethical lapses and worse. The fastest way to sabotage a strong business plan? Ignore culture.

The Most Toxic Industries for U.S. Workers

The study identifies five industries where toxic conditions are most acute, characterized by high rates of abuse/harassment and burnout:

Healthcare — A perfect storm: 60–90% of workers experiencing verbal/physical abuse; 67.5% of nurses report demoralizing conduct from supervisors and 77.6% from coworkers; 65% of PAs report burnout/depression. The consequences reach patients too: toxicity correlates with errors and lower care quality.
Hospitality — 47% report personal burnout; 64% say colleagues exit due to burnout; 69% cite exhaustion from unpredictable schedules and intense performance demands; ~16% report harassment/bullying.
Construction — High mental-health risk: up to 40% report depression/anxiety; 60% struggle with alcohol dependency; suicide rates nearly double most industries; overdose deaths 17x work-injury deaths; suicides 5x fatal injuries.
Finance — 82.5% report burnout; 58.3% cite poor work-life balance; 83.3% lack focused time due to nonstop meetings; 60% would discourage entrants from joining the field.
Tech — 57% report burnout; 46% of software workers link burnout directly to toxic culture; 41% of women report harassment, highlighting persistent equity failures.

Methodology (Industry): Publicly available workforce surveys, peer-reviewed research, and sector studies. Each industry’s “toxicity percentage” is a standardized snapshot derived from two pillars, abuse/harassment and burnout, using simple averages or midpoints for ranges. These are comparative indicators, not official ratings.

The Most Toxic States to Work In

The analysis of workplace stress and burnout identifies Wyoming as the most toxic state overall, followed by Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Idaho, and Connecticut; Alaska and Montana also appear in the top ten. Common threads across these states: high burnout, demanding work environments, weak work-life balance, isolation or long commutes, and limited support infrastructure. Notably, even advanced, knowledge-driven economies (e.g., Massachusetts, Connecticut) are not immune.

Methodology (States): A composite “Toxicity Score” blending Innerbody state stress rankings and Benefit News burnout scores. (WalletHub state stress indicators were reviewed for context but not used in the core composite.) Higher totals indicate more severe workplace toxicity.

What Employers and Policymakers Can Do Now

Hardwire Psychological Safety: Train managers in respectful leadership, feedback hygiene, and anti-bullying norms; evaluate leaders on people metrics, not output alone.
Fix Workload & Control: Set realistic goals, limit after-hours pings, and provide quiet, focus time; measure outcomes, not online presence.
Make DEIB Real: Tie leadership incentives to inclusion outcomes; enforce zero-tolerance for retaliation.
Build Guardrails: Clear reporting channels, neutral investigations, and no-reprisal policies; publish aggregate outcomes to build trust.
Support Well-Being: Access to mental health care, EAPs, flexible schedules, and leave; de-stigmatize use.
Transparency & Pay Equity: Regular pay audits; visible career paths; celebrate contributions to curb toxic competition.

“Toxic workplaces aren’t a bad day, they’re a system failure,” the report concludes. “Fix the system, and performance follows.”