What does a toxic workplace entail?
Negative behaviors, such as manipulation, bullying, screaming, and other similar ones, become so ingrained in an organization’s culture that low productivity, a lack of confidence in one another, high-stress levels, internal strife, and discrimination become the norm.
What are the signs of a toxic workplace?
It can be difficult to define a toxic work environment since there are so many characteristics that might contribute to it and because different people react differently to the same workplace depending on their work histories, triggers, and working styles, among other things. Having said that, toxic workplaces tend to have a few traits. Even while this is by no means an exhaustive list, it should be a useful starting point for anyone trying to determine whether they are in a dangerous environment.
Observe the warning indicators listed below:
1. Work is not restricted in any way.
According to Bohemond, toxic cultures frequently normalize and laud a lack of healthy boundaries, enticing you to put work before everything else. While working in the office or digitally, management may push themselves to the point of tiredness and expect their workers to do the same. For instance, they can demand that workers stay as late as they do at work or answer emails and messages at all hours on the weekend.
2. People lack mutual trust.
It’s obvious when there is a lack of trust between coworkers in a toxic workplace. Bohemond presents an example of a business where the management team’s offices are next to workers’ desks, enabling them to keep an eye on goings-on down below. Or it might be a workplace where bosses constantly ping their direct reports to see how they’re performing.
3. There is no space for error.
Minorities, who already have to contend with the standard of perfection and excellence that is expected of them at all times, might be particularly affected by this type of society. Simon asserts that mistakes made by white people are opportunities for personal development. However, for minorities, it frequently feels like a criticism of our status and responsibilities within the organization.
4. The relationships with others are unhealthy.
According to Bohemond, you can frequently tell how emotionally healthy a business is simply by watching how its employees interact with one another. Are they all grinning and chatting while making their coffee in the morning, or are most of them just grinning and typing? Do they send harsh messages laden with hate or do they share jokes and memes on Slack? He claims that the general atmosphere and people’s body language might give away the spirit of a business.
5. The development of employees is not supported.
Because there is no guidance or assistance to help them develop, many people in hazardous settings are forced to “figure it out” on their own, according to Bohemond. He cautions that this has essentially grown worse because it’s so much simpler to lose contact with your manager or team. It particularly affects entry-level workers, who are left to their own devices in such a workplace, which can lead to demotivation and disillusionment, as well as workers from marginalized areas, who already tend to receive very little help to turn potential into growth chances.
6. Many times, people feel cheated.
Someone who gaslights you causes you to doubt your own sentiments, judgments, or sanity.
For instance, I once worked for a manager who gave me and my teammates’ tasks with a clear objective and approach in mind. But when it came time for a review, they would enquire as to why the project had been completed in a certain manner and alter the objectives without consulting us, frequently completely forgetting or misremembering their original mandate.
