In work, millions of people deal with bullies and abusive managers. Every day, these employees are the objects of their manager’s heckling, threats, or insulting remarks. As a result, their job happiness, productivity, and dedication to the company as a whole suffer.

While dealing with “bad bosses” directly can be upsetting for workers, the issue frequently involves more than one person.

It might be tough to tell whether your company has a typical degree of problems, is severely dysfunctional, or is perhaps really toxic. All companies have certain issues and undesirable traits. These are five indicators that can help you gauge how toxic your workplace may be to your mental health.

No Work-Life Balance

Some employers don’t care about your work-life balance, from limiting the use of PTO to imposing what seem to be necessary 50 or 60-hour workweeks. You’re trapped in a toxic job if you believe that your work-life balance is completely out of whack, and it appears impossible to achieve one at your present employer.

Too much competitiveness

Those who are too obsessed with titles, job descriptions, and hierarchy levels are another indicator of a toxic workplace. When you first meet someone new at the company, they will be eager to share their title and level with you. The people working in the toxic workplace choose influence over the goal they are purportedly pursuing. More essential than success as determined by other metrics are status, visibility, and “perks,” as well as the amount of team trust, which is never even brought up in dialogue.

Toxic Boss or Toxic Workmates

The absence of interaction between management and employees another indication of a toxic workplace. When they do speak, it is a one-way exchange in which the management directs the subordinate. There isn’t any other exchange of ideas or teamwork between management and the rest of the group.

All Negative Feedback

There is a lot of discussion about offenses and demerits, but very little to no attention is paid to outstanding effort or accomplishments.

If it appears that your company’s management solely emphasizes constructive criticism and negative comments and never recognize achievements or provide praise, they are establishing a toxic work environment. A successful, productive workplace is often created by striking a balance between constructive criticism and praising achievements, and without the positive comments, the atmosphere may become extremely hostile and toxic.

No community or culture

Those who are too timid to let their hair down cast suspicious sideways glances at the few people who laugh and joke about with one another. The longevity of innovative thinkers and outspoken employees are short. When their approach conflicts with the norm, they get repulsed and leave or are asked to do so.

When your personal connections are disrupted, it is time to take a serious look at what is going on. This is when your friends and family start to comment on “how you’ve changed,” “you seem anxious,” and “maybe you need to talk to someone.”

The work is difficult. Yet, some workplaces go beyond the typical stress associated with employment and responsibilities to become so unfavorable, demanding, and unhealthy that workers finally start to wonder, “How much longer can I bear this? For your own welfare, look closely and respond to the query.

References

Bülbül, S. (2017). Toxic Workplace Environment In Search for the Toxic Behaviours in Organizations with a Research in Healthcare Secto. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318196603_Toxic_Workplace_Environment_In_Search_for_the_Toxic_Behaviours_in_Organizations_with_a_Research_in_Healthcare_Sector

Fast Company. (2015). 5 Signs That Your Workplace May Be Toxic. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/3045927/5-signs-that-your-workplace-may-be-toxic

Housman, M., & Minor, D. (2015). Toxic Workers. Retrieved from https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/16-057_d45c0b4f-fa19-49de-8f1b-4b12fe054fea.pdf

Kelly, C. (2022). 8 Telltale Signs of a Toxic Workplace. Retrieved from https://camdenkelly.com/toxic-workplace/

Priesemuth, M. (2020). Time’s Up for Toxic Workplaces. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2020/06/times-up-for-toxic-workplaces

Ryan, L. (2016). Ten Unmistakable Signs Of A Toxic Culture. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2016/10/19/ten-unmistakable-signs-of-a-toxic-culture/?sh=7aa16bd7115f