Nicole Mathers: Digital watercoolers are becoming toxic playgrounds for organisations

As workplaces become increasingly digital a new threat is emerging, one that many leaders are failing to take seriously. According to Nicole Mathers, Australia's leading workplace culture and emotionally intelligent leadership expert and cofounder of Uncapped Potential, online collaboration tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams and other organisational intranet chatrooms and collaboration forums are fast becoming unregulated spaces where bullying and inappropriate behaviour are not only occurring but escalating.
 

"We've moved the watercooler online but we forgot to bring the boundaries with us," Mathers said.
 

"What looks like banter can quickly become exclusion, mockery, gossip or offense. And unlike face- to-face interactions digital messages leave a permanent record and often spiral faster than people realise.
 

"People are also more likely to say something in an online environment where the boundaries are perceived to be loose and casual that can cause immense harm, whether consciously or unconsciously."
 

Mathers outlines the increasing risks around online organisational chat environments.
 

Unchecked digital culture is putting teams at risk

Mathers who has investigated many workplace incidents and helps organisations implement high performance culture frameworks explained that online platforms are now the frontline for bullying and harassment, particularly with the hybrid and WFH movement.
 

"Increasingly we're seeing people being targeted or undermined via chat apps, message threads and online in-jokes" Mathers said.
 

"It's not always overt. It might be passive aggressive comments, group piling, being left out of key conversations or using gifs and emojis in an inappropriate way (or at all). But the impact is the same, it creates a toxic environment that damages trust confidence and psychological safety."
 

And the critical gap always is that a general lack of emotional intelligence, particularly, social awareness means that people misread relationships, misread the narrative and what may seem benign or unoffensive to some, is not to others. Predominantly the lack of face-to-face interaction is a continued cause of issues that have a dire impact on culture and performance.
 

The digital layer makes everything faster and harder to see

Unlike traditional workplace misconduct Mathers said online bullying can go unnoticed for long periods because it often hides in plain sight. It's woven into informal chats project channels or digital hangouts - spaces few leaders actively monitor.
 

"These platforms were meant to improve collaboration but in the wrong culture, or a lack of clear boundaries and parameters, they can become breeding grounds for dysfunction," Mathers added.
 

"Because they're not physically visible and often not well governed they become the perfect playground for passive bullying and power plays.
 

"It is a fact that people do not always think about communication when typing in chats in the same way they would or should if interacting with someone face to face, and there are no visual cues to read or respond to."
 

Policy is not enough - leadership must go digital too

Mathers emphasised that most bullying and harassment policies, which are ineffective on their own at the best of times, haven't caught up with how work is now done.
 

"Your policy might reference bullying but does it define what that looks like in a Teams chat," Mathers said.
 

"Do leaders know how to spot the early signs of digital exclusion or offense. Do you have norms in place for online communication or is it a free-for-all."
 

Mathers warned that compliance-only strategies won't work in this environment.
 

"If your culture rewards or tolerates toxic behaviour in the digital space your policies won't protect anyone. Leaders need to be as present and intentional online as they are in person," Mathers said.
 

"That means modelling respectful digital behaviour calling out what's not okay and checking in with teams regularly not just when something explodes."
 

A wake-up call for HR and leadership

Mathers said HR professionals and executive teams must urgently review how communication tools are used, what behaviours are developing within them and whether their current frameworks are equipped to prevent online harassment.
 

"It's not just about banning certain words or locking down functions. It's about setting expectations, fostering real connection, training emotional intelligence, and making sure everyone feels seen and safe, online as well as in person," Brokenshire said.
 

"Online workspaces are now real workspaces. If you wouldn't allow it in a meeting room don't allow it in the chat thread."
 

About Uncapped Potential (UP)

Uncapped Potential (UP) is a forward-thinking consultancy founded by Marnie Brokenshire and Nicole Mathers, dedicated to empowering businesses, Leaders and HR practitioners to drive high- impact strategies and build thriving, emotionally intelligent workplaces. The company focuses on providing innovative and practical leadership solutions, challenging traditional methodologies and redefining what's possible in corporate success. UP has rapidly grown, partnering with medium to large businesses, including major corporate entities.