When Leadership Lets It Slide: The Silent Cost of Normalising Poor Behaviour.

Humn
Jul 20
4 min read

At Humn, we say this often: what leaders allow, the culture absorbs.

In every workplace, people take cues from leadership, not just through what is said, but what’s tolerated.

Let's face it, we have all heard these statements:

“That’s just how they are.”

“They’ve always been like that.”

“Don’t take it personally, it’s just their style.”

They may sound like harmless excuses, but they quietly signal that poor behaviour is acceptable. Over time, that behaviour becomes entrenched and the culture shifts in the wrong direction.

This isn’t just an HR problem. It is a psychosocial hazard, a legal risk and a leadership failure.

Inaction is not neutral, it is harmful and poor leadership

As Martyn Campbell, one of our Humn co-founders, shared in his post Oh just ignore him. That’s just Fred, leaders who avoid dealing with persistent behaviour issues are making an active choice. When leaders see, hear, or are told about harm - and don’t act - they become part of the risk.

In fact, inaction often does more damage than taking the wrong action. When leaders fumble but show they are trying, teams will often forgive. But when leaders ignore repeated issues or protect known poor performers, they lose credibility and people quietly disengage.

People don’t leave companies. They leave leaders.

If staff raise concerns and nothing happens, trust dies.

If behaviour is continually excused, the good people leave.

If accountability is selective, your best talent will walk.

The silent exit of high performers is one of the biggest costs of poor leadership. And too often, it happens without a single formal complaint.

Culture isn’t just about the loud moments, it is about what slowly erodes beneath the surface when leaders don’t lead.

A Case Study in Consequences

A recent Fair Work Commission ruling underscores this risk. In Suhayl Ali v DMG Building & Electrical Services, an electrician was subjected to aggressive swearing during a performance meeting. Recorded remarks like “The bulls‑**t about wear and tear on the phone is a f‑**ing joke” and “You need to be on the same page as everyone” were found to create such hostility that he felt forced to resign, constituting constructive dismissal.

The Commission concluded his resignation was the only reasonable option, due to mental and physical safety concerns. Independent medical evidence confirmed a psychological injury. Crucially, it wasn’t about intent, his employer probably didn’t aim to drive someone out. It was the behaviour and power imbalance that did the damage.

Martyn noted the bold lesson here: “Swearing at someone, or when you are the boss, is clearly unacceptable and the Fair Work Commission has reinforced that.” And he described how organisations must define their line on what’s “acceptable”

Recognising the risk

The Australian Institute of Health & Safety recently warned that repeated swearing in the workplace, especially when aggressive or persistent, can be a psychosocial hazard. It’s not about policing language; it’s about recognising context, power dynamics and how different people are affected.

Likewise, National Safety Online cautioned that inviting feedback or asking people to “speak up” without a meaningful response can backfire.

Psychological safety isn’t just about being open, it’s about how leaders respond when it counts.

So, what can leaders and organisations do?

Acknowledge that silence sends a message:
Saying nothing about poor behaviour speaks volumes. Even subtle issues like sarcasm, passive aggression, persistent undermining all require leadership attention.
Get real about accountability:
Stop protecting people who are seen as “too valuable to lose.” No one is above behavioural expectations.
Train and support your leaders:
Many leaders don’t act because they don’t know how. Equip them with tools, language, and a clear understanding of their obligations.
Make reporting safe and responding meaningful:
It is not enough to say “my door is always open.” Leaders need to close the loop, act with fairness and demonstrate follow-through.
Seek external support when the culture feels stuck:
That is where Humn comes in. We bring objectivity, experience and practical frameworks that help organisations shift from silence to action.

The Humn Approach

At Humn, we partner with organisations to:

Identify psychosocial risks and culture issues that internal teams might miss
Support respectful investigations which are fair, people-centred and legally robust
Train leaders to respond confidently and lawfully
Create clear behavioural standards and response pathways
Align HR and WHS functions to drive real change and culture responsibility isn’t siloed

We often hear after helping a team, “We wish we had called you sooner.” Because when leaders stop letting it slide, retention improves, trust grows and psychologically safer workplaces begin.

Whether we are working with your board, executive, or people leaders, we know how to create psychologically safer workplaces without blame or bureaucracy.