by Mieder van Loggerenberg
We’ve all had a bad day at work where nothing seems to go right. Being in a toxic work environment is like having a bad day but on an infinite loop. Toxic work environments are a breeding ground for low morale, gossiping, negativity, bullying, absenteeism, and high staff turnover. To make matters worse it does not just stay at work, it permeates all aspects of your work life and personal life. It can cause a lot of unnecessary worry and stress and eventually burnout. Let us take a closer look at the signs of a toxic work environment. If any of these look familiar, then it is time to update your resume and look for a better job.
1. BAD LEADERSHIP
The old saying "People don’t leave bad jobs they leave bad bosses," is said for a very good reason. A bad supervisor or manager can affect all aspects of the organization and it is important to know what type of bad boss you have. You have the "micromanager", who constantly corrects you, undermines your decisions, and ultimately prevents you from doing your job. You can have the "disrespectful" boss, who does not understand boundaries, forgets your name, or simply does not even know what you do but will always contact you after hours expecting that you must drop everything and be at their beck and call. If you are really lucky you can have the "Blame Game" boss who always passes the buck and is somehow perfect and does nothing wrong. The list just goes on and on and it is these types of bosses that make the overall workplace downright toxic.
The takeaway?
Bad leadership is the sign of a toxic workplace and there is no alternative but to find another job. You can try to approach HR but the chances of them taking your word over management is very slim.
2. UNMOTIVATED COWORKERS
You cannot judge the quality of the company based on their employees, but it can give you indicators on what type of culture they have. No matter how motivated or driven you are if you are surrounded by unmotivated coworkers, it will eventually take its toll on you. You might experience this from these types of coworkers:
· You are going to take on most of the work that they are not willing to do and so burn yourself out.
· Their lack of motivation will frustrate and hinder any progress you want to make whether professional or any tasks given by management.
Unmotivated employees are usually the result of a much bigger problem within the organization. It could be bad communication from the top, the company is just disorganized, disenfranchisement with leadership, or just distrust between employees. Whatever the issue might be if employees are unmotivated then you know you are in a toxic work environment.
The takeaway?
Unless if you are management, it is a clear sign that there are serious underlying issues within the company – and it is highly unlikely that this will improve, and you will be stuck in a place where you will lose the will to live.
3. HIGH STAFF TURNOVER
Having a high staff turnover is a crystal-clear sign that it is a toxic workplace. Changing jobs is not easy and if people in the company are quitting on a regular basis, then you know something is off. This also applies to if people are laid off or fired constantly. High staff turnover simply means that the company is disorganized, it lacks direction, there is no clear communication, little to no opportunity to grow and bad leadership.
The takeaway?
High staff turnover is a sign that things are bad and might get worse. Always, always find out what the staff turnover rate is before joining a company.
4. BAD COMMUNICATION
Insufficient, confusing, or sporadic communication is the culprit of so many issues in the workplace. Effective communication skills are the most important skill needed for an organization to be successful. But how do we know if bad communication is the cause of a toxic workplace? Here are some examples of bad communication:
· The lack of communication.
· Vague instructions or objectives.
· Different employees get different messages.
· Management is unwilling to listen or to be receptive to employees.
· Frequent “off-hours” communication.
· Passive-aggressive communication.
Bad communication is the root of all problems in an organization. This leads to confusion with no clear objective in mind.
The takeaway?
If you feel there is bad or no communication in your workplace, you are in a toxic workplace and things will only get worse. Time to look for greener pastures.
5. CLIQUES, EXCLUSION & GOSSIPY BEHAVIOR
Do you remember how it was back in middle and high school? Everyone was in their own clique - the cool kids, the jocks, the nerds. We have all experienced the rollercoaster of emotions trying to fit in, trying to be cool. Well, as grown-ups those cliques are magnified and anyone not in the clique or in the boss’s gang will be alienated, ganged up against, criticized and be the gossip of the day. For coworkers and bosses to form these cliques can be very counterproductive and affect the morale of everyone in the office. There are clear signs that will tell you that you are not in their clique:
· Being constantly excluded from the group, meetings, discussions and even the lunch table.
· Never invited to afterhours parties, hanging out or any formal or non-formal events.
· The work schedule is set up where the worst possible hours are assigned to you.
· Projects are assigned to a particular group, regardless of talent or experience.
The takeaway?
Avoid cliques. Avoid gossip. It has no place at work. If management are the ringleaders of these cliques, then you know your workplace is toxic and it is time to update your resume.
If you have the feeling that you are burning the candles at both ends, you never get a straight answer or clear direction, for some reason you are always in hot water no matter how much you do for the company, there is very little to no communication in the workplace and you always feel like the outsider, you can rest assured that the problem is not you. There is no way to eradicate or change a toxic workplace unless if it comes directly from the top and even then, chances are slim that the company’s culture will change.
Find a place that promotes growth, support and communication, a place that will appreciate and value you and what you can bring to the table.
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