Do you dread going into your job as much on Friday as you do on Monday? Do you stress about interacting with a particular co-worker or maybe you’re just uneasy or always anxious at work?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions…you might want to re-evaluate your current career.
*It’s been said before that we often continue working in an environment even when the culture is making us unhappy. It’s like the old analogy of frogs in hot water: If you put a frog into hot water, it would immediately jump out. BUT if you put it into cold water that slowly starts to boil it would happily sit there until it is cooked.
*If you’re feeling stressed or just plain unhappy at work, look for these signs! Some of these are immediate red flags but others may be easy to miss and you need to take a closer look!
- Immoral or illegal activities. This is a BIG red flag. If something the company or an individual is doing is wrong, you don’t have to be a part of it. If actions don’t sit well with your moral code or worse, are patently illegal — get out ASAP. The person watching a crime happen can be just as culpable as the person committing it.
- Physical danger. If you or others are put at risk due to unsafe working conditions, you should leave as soon as possible. No job is worth your life or long term health effects.
- Obvious unfairness. Maybe each employee is treated differently, or coworkers steal your ideas or work and claim the credit, or failures are blamed on others, this could be a sign of a very toxic work environment.
- Abusive bosses/coworkers. Sexual harassment, racism, sexism, ageism, or any other kind of discrimination should not have to be tolerated. This might also include high aggression or bullying, intimidation, unreasonable expectations, or blatant lack of empathy.
- Dysfunctional relationships. Sometimes the combination of personalities in a company can result in a toxic environment, creating gossip, favoritism, grudges, and unwarranted criticisms.
- Poor communication. If you get little or no feedback, only negative feedback, you get left out of the loop on important information, or bosses and coworkers are excessively cold and distant, that can also contribute to a toxic workplace.
- Constant stress. Some jobs are more stressful than others, but if you are routinely exposed to high stress situations with no opportunity for “down time” or a fear of bullying if you need to recover from stressful situations, that too can be toxic. If you are constantly expected to work more than 40 hours per week without extra compensation and have no opportunity for work/life balance, you might want to consider a move.
Sometimes you can address these problems with a supervisor to try to fix the situation and sometimes the supervisor is the problem! If your concerns or suggestions to improve the work place repeatedly fall on deaf ears, it’s time to find a healthier work environment!
*Bernard Marr – LinkedIn Influencer – https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20141204073040-64875646-7-signs-of-a-toxic-culture-at-work?trk=eml-b2_content_ecosystem_digest-recommended_articles-200-null&midToken=AQHKKqhDwnr7VA&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=2ctqNpwhT0E6w1