Is Your Workplace Toxic? 5 Ways to Know
We’ve all been there - dreading your alarm going off, anticipating the next passive-aggressive email, constantly wondering if you can trust the people you’re surrounded by. Your workplace feels like a battlefield, and you’re in the front line. Is it me, you wonder. Am I being too sensitive? Am I reading the situation correctly? Sometimes it’s hard to know. What’s clear is the emotional toll it’s taking on you. Working in a toxic environment is the most significant cause of stress and burnout in the 21st century, and nobody deserves to feel under constant attack. Here are five indicators that it’s not you; it’s your workplace that’s toxic.
Poor Communication & Leadership
It always seems like someone crucial has been left out of the group email, nobody is sure who to turn to when problems arise, and projects go through many fits and starts. Lack of clarity and failure to communicate are hallmarks of dysfunction. If your workplace falls into finger-pointing at the first hurdle and nobody takes responsibility when things go wrong, then you know your job is toxic.
Soap-Opera-Style Gossip & Drama
If arguments, backstabbing, and betrayal are the bedrock of your daily interactions, then you’re living in Toxicville, USA. Many workplaces are full of emotionally immature people who feed off a Mean Girls “you can’t sit with us” mentality. Nothing is more important than being able to have a basic level of trust in those around you, and if you don’t, then you’re in the wrong environment. If you have to watch your back constantly, don’t doubt yourself, your job is toxic.
No Work-Life Balance
If you find yourself constantly bringing work home, staying in the office until the wee hours, or spending your weekend sending emails, then it’s toxic. While the occasional extra few hours might be understandable under extenuating circumstances, it should never be frequent or expected. It’s not natural or healthy to spend all your time thinking about work, and no employer should expect it from you. You are not getting paid for going the extra mile, and emotional stress carries the most expensive toll of them all. If this is your life right now, then it’s the sign you need to put up some boundaries and set yourself free!
High-Turnover
Does your team have a complete makeover every six months? Is it hard to talk about the future of the company because you’re not sure who will be there? Has more than one person left without even giving notice? If the answer is yes, then alarm bells should be ringing, because that only happens in toxic workplaces. Employees who feel valued and respected stick around. Employees who feel taken advantage of and abused do not. You don’t have to trade in your self-esteem for a salary, so if your job leaves you feeling worthless, make a plan to get out fast!
You’re Drinking or Drugging to Cope
Everybody loves to let their hair down and blow off steam after a long workday or on the weekends, but if you find that since you’ve started your new job, and that after-work happy hour has become an ‘after-work-drink-until-you-pass-out’, then it’s a problem.
Many people don’t realize how problematic their drinking or drug use has become because they use stress from work as a justification. If you find yourself saying or thinking things like: “I just need something to relax after the day I’ve had”, “I don’t have a drink/drug problem, I have a job and a home”, or “If only I didn’t work with such idiots, I wouldn’t need to party all weekend to de-stress”... then you should take notice. Many people deliberately ignore the warning signs until it’s too late.
If your workplace leaves you feeling burnt out, your self-esteem is lower than it’s ever been, or your drinking or drug use has spiraled, know that you’re not alone and that you deserve to reach out for help. If your drinking or drug use has become a cause of concern then contact a member of our team today for a confidential consultation.
You can also try taking this short quiz to find out whether you may be struggling with addiction.
And remember, you’re not alone, we’re here for you.
