Association between toxic workplace environment and quality of life among academic staff in Egyptian universities: a cross-sectional study

Background Toxic workplace environments represent an important psychosocial concern in higher education institutions. However, evidence examining the association between perceived workplace toxicity and multidimensional general quality of life among academic staff, particularly in Egyptian universities, remains limited. Aim To examine the association between perceived workplace toxicity and the four domains of quality of life among academic staff working in Egyptian universities. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey of 293 academic staff questionnaire records from governmental and private universities in Egypt between February and April 2024. Data were collected using the Alvarado Work Environment Scale of Toxicity (AWEST) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression analyses with heteroscedasticity-consistent robust standard errors were employed. Results The mean total workplace toxicity score was 126.29 ± 28.63. Mean WHOQOL-BREF scores were 47.86 ± 15.37 for physical health, 48.68 ± 15.30 for psychological health, 57.81 ± 18.48 for social relationships, and 48.87 ± 17.31 for environment. Workplace toxicity was significantly and negatively correlated with all four domains, with the strongest associations observed for social relationships (r = −0.419) and environment (r = −0.407), followed by psychological health (r = −0.379) and physical health (r = −0.292; all p < 0.001). In fully adjusted regression models ( n = 255), workplace toxicity remained inversely associated with psychological health (B = −0.144, 95% CI [−0.206, −0.083]), social relationships (B = −0.174, 95% CI [−0.248, −0.099]), and environment (B = −0.168, 95% CI [−0.243, −0.093]; all p < 0.001). The association with physical health was weaker (B = −0.082, 95% CI [−0.163, −0.001], p = 0.047). Income adequacy, marital status, and university type were also significantly associated with selected quality-of-life domains. Conclusion Higher perceived workplace toxicity was associated with lower quality-of-life scores among academic staff, particularly in the psychological, social, and environmental domains. These findings highlight the relevance of psychosocial workplace conditions in higher education. However, the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference. Further longitudinal research is recommended.