5 Signs Your Workplace Is Toxic And How To Deal With It!

You devote the majority of your waking hours to work as an employee. The atmosphere significantly impacts each employee’s personal life and mental health, which is one of the main reasons why the company culture is so important.

Lack of work-life balance, constant micromanagement of tasks, etc., are just a few examples of how toxic work cultures can negatively impact employees.

Here are five indicators of toxic workplace culture to look out for before you start looking for a new job, as well as advice on handling them should you find yourself in a similar difficult situation.

Signs of a toxic work culture

It’s only sometimes the case that an organization’s entire workforce adheres to a toxic work culture; it’s also possible that some teams need better managers, which impacts the work environment within the team.

Here are a few indicators that may indicate whether you are trapped in a toxic workplace environment.

Going to work feels like a task.

Getting up and going to work can seem arduous when you work in a toxic environment. This is important because a bad attitude at work can hamper team members’ performance.

On the other hand, a positive work environment makes you look forward to starting a new day. A positive work environment motivates employees to give their all, which boosts productivity.

A constant fear of failure

Even the most careful workers are prone to making mistakes. Even though it is normal to feel angry about it, it is quite another thing to feel terrified of admitting a mistake.

You can take calculated risks and learn from your errors when your workplace has a positive culture. In addition to receiving guidance and the opportunity to make amends, you will also be permitted to carry on managing projects.

Restricted/ No communication

The absence of communication can result in complete confusion and chaos at work, so it is important. Any questions are frequently labelled as “defensive” or along similar lines in a toxic workplace culture, which rarely permits open discussion.

A toxic workplace environment also has strict hierarchical divisions and little group interaction. Because of this, growth may stagnate due to a lack of communication between individuals.

Dysfunction & chaos rules the day.

Due to the lack of communication, trust, power struggles, etc., toxic work cultures are a breeding ground for confusion and dysfunction.

Therefore, if you discover that you are unsure of your role and responsibilities, take this as a sign of a toxic work environment and leave if you are still in the interview phase.

The employee turnover rate is high.

The high company turnover rate should be considered another toxic work environment indicator. You can find this indication if you thoroughly research the business using social media sites like LinkedIn and job posting services like HRQube.

If you notice that the same company consistently posts job openings, you can bring up the subject during your interview and, if the response is persuasive, make a decision based on it.

How to deal with a toxic work culture

Every issue has a solution, so you can always leave the company if things become too much for you to handle. However, you can do a few things to lessen the effects of a toxic work environment while you wait for a better job opportunity.

Stay away from gossip.

There is a lot of negativity in gossip, whether in the office or personal life. To maintain positivity and keep your attention on your work, it is best to avoid such gossip groups completely.

Avoid secretly discussing your opinions with gossip groups because you might become one of their subjects, and it might harm you.

Find people with a similar mindset.

Finding like-minded people makes working in a toxic workplace less of a burden and more tolerable because they lift your spirits.

However, be careful not to go overboard when expressing your feelings and opinions to them because it might be too much for them.

Focus on matters you can control

You can do only a little to lessen your discomfort unless you are in a managerial position. Therefore, it is advised that you maintain your composure and concentrate on acting morally.

Conclusion

Although you can’t control the other person’s actions, you can control how you react to them. The best way to do so is to understand how the said person reacts, and you can tweak your response accordingly to maintain peace.

The best way to avoid a bad experience in toxic work culture is to research the company thoroughly. Go the extra mile, connect with former and current employees, and ask about their experience working at the organization.