As workplace culture changes with world events and new employee viewpoints related to their jobs, the question of toxicity in the work environment becomes important. Many employees no longer want to tolerate certain behaviors from their employers and coworkers. The work culture website Atlassian reports that 30% of workers currently believe a toxic workplace affects their personal lives.
Individuals who suspect their workplace may have a negative effect on them may want to remain aware of a few signs to look for, from fellow employees to management.
Daily drama and gossip
While most workplace environments have some degree of office gossip, it can reach levels that begin to affect productivity and the way employees relate to each other. In extreme cases, this can lead to several problems, including:
- Trust between employees
- Teamwork
- Communication breakdown
Individuals who find themselves embroiled in workplace drama may feel helpless, angry or exhausted and may begin to dread their jobs, which can take a toll on mental health.
Fear of making errors
While employees hampered by perfectionism may fear making a mistake on the job, those who work in a toxic environment may feel a proverbial dagger over their heads if they make an error. When managers punish employees for small mistakes, the rest might become fearful that any slip-up might cause them to get terminated. This can cause productivity to flag because employees are either procrastinating to cover up their fear or fearful of starting new tasks.
Individuals who feel trapped in a toxic work environment can take steps to control their immediate work surroundings and avoid office gossip. They can also report problems to the company’s human resources department if the toxicity reaches unbearable levels.
