Before changing jobs to avoid a toxic coworker, try changing desks

Dealing with a toxic coworker often starts with a simple instinct: minimize exposure. According to Stanford management professor Robert Sutton, one of the most effective ways to do this is not emotional or psychological—but physical. Creating distance can dramatically reduce both conflict and harm.

Sutton’s advice is grounded in the “Allen Curve,” a concept developed by MIT researcher Thomas J. Allen. The curve shows that the closer people sit to one another, the more frequently they communicate. Employees seated just six feet apart are up to four times more likely to interact than those seated 60 feet apart. At distances of 150 feet or more, communication drops to levels similar to colleagues working in different cities.

While Allen’s original research dates back to the 1970s, later studies confirm that the effect persists even in modern workplaces dominated by email, Slack, and other digital tools. Physical proximity still drives interaction—and exposure.

That exposure matters because toxic behavior is highly contagious. Sutton notes that emotions spread “like a common cold,” and bullying or aggressive behavior spreads especially fast. Proximity increases not only annoyance, but the likelihood that others unconsciously mirror toxic behaviors in self-defense.

This dynamic has measurable consequences. In a workplace seating study, employees who sat next to toxic coworkers were found to be 150% more likely to be terminated for misconduct themselves. Michael Housman, a data scientist and workforce researcher, has explained that sustained exposure to toxic colleagues significantly increases the risk that otherwise good employees adopt similar behaviors.

Anecdotal evidence reinforces the data. One former Apple employee told Sutton that during meetings with Steve Jobs, he deliberately chose the seat farthest away. His reasoning was simple: “The closer you were to Jobs, the more likely that something bad would happen to you.”

The implication is clear. Toxicity is not just an individual problem—it is an environmental one. Seating arrangements, office layout, and physical proximity can amplify or dampen harmful behavior.

If leaving a job is not an option, Sutton’s advice is pragmatic and actionable: change desks before you change employers. Increasing physical distance from a toxic coworker can significantly reduce stress, limit behavioral contagion, and protect both performance and reputation.