10 signs you have a toxic work environment

Whether you have a dysfunctional relationship with your boss, the turnover at your job is sky-high, or corporate culture is based on the survival of the fittest, you know something’s not right at work. Don’t be so quick to dismiss that gut feeling you have when faced with all these red flags. If you are feeling undervalued, undermined, and downright uncomfortable at work, chances are it’s not you, it’s them. The company or organization you work for might be toxic, and there are a few signs that point to this. Toxic work environments are places where poor communication, conflict, unfair competition, undesirable leadership styles, discrimination, and exclusion reign. These workplaces make employees feel underheard, and negatively impact their psychological and physical well-being. Toxic environments are spaces where self-interest and disregard for others thrive. Drama, dysfunction, and a disrespect for others are all amplified in these types of professional environments. This is where employees are rarely seen or valued as people, and managers fail to step in to improve conditions. People working in a toxic culture will feel like they don’t belong, and that their ideas, needs, and contributions are being completely ignored.So, if you’re wondering if the crushing weight of a toxic work environment has been the cause of your discontent at work as of late, take a look at the 20 signs you have a toxic work environment.

1. Constructive criticism comes in the form of insults

When co-workers and supervisors are enabled to act unprofessionally in the work environment, insulting one another rather than providing useful, constructive criticism, this signals a toxic workplace where hostility and resentment can brew. Managers can provide performance-related feedback to help define their expectations of their employees and offer actionable advice on how to respond to these expectations. It’s up to the leadership team and the corporate policies to ensure that this feedback is given in a respectful, just, and positive manner.

2. Company policies are unfair

Human rights codes for employment, like this one in Canada, protects professionals from discrimination or harassment due to such things as race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic heritage, and more. With these legal protections in place, companies must embed diverse, equitable, and inclusive practices to create safe and just working environments where their employees feel seen, valued, and appreciated.

3. Your boss has undesirable leadership skills

In many cases, people don’t leave bad jobs or companies, they leave bad bosses. Toxic work environments tend to nurture leaders with undesirable skills, traits, and management styles. Toxic bosses exhibit certain traits, like low emotional intelligence, lack of accountability, and reactive decision-making. This type of leadership has impacts on productivity and team morale.

4. Your boss is abusive

Verbal, psychological, physical or sexual abuse should not be tolerated in any environment. One study discovered that workplace psychological aggression has an impact on job performance and an employee’s overall health and attitude toward the job. While more and more companies provide protections from physical abuse and harassment, it is verbal, psychological and sexual abuse—and harassment—that continue to exist in toxic work environments.

5. You feel undervalued

You’ve developed negative self-talk and you frequently undermine your worth and your work in conversations. This could be one of the signs you are being gaslighted and undervalued by your supervisor. You might be feeling like the work you do each day has no meaning or purpose. This has serious implications on your mental health and overall happiness at work. There are things you can do to steer clear of this feeling, like bringing more visibility to your work, encouraging others to do great work, and talking to someone you can trust.

6. Company policies are not enforced

Companies are only as diverse, inclusive, and equitable as the policies they enforce. If they don’t actually walk the walk, organizations are only virtue signalling with empty promises. Companies need to enforce policies and procedures to promote respectful, equitable, and inclusive behaviour in the workplace in an effort to create a safe working environment that leaves no room for toxicity.

7. Your health has become a concern

People who are undervalued or fighting to survive in their own work environment tend to experience more health problems. A toxic environment can literally make you sick. There are things that happen to your body when you hate your job, like sleeplessness, headaches, muscle pains, stomach issues, and a host of mental health concerns.

8. There’s no such thing as work-life balance

Many people experienced burnout, physical discomfort, and work-life conflict as a result of working from home during the pandemic, according to one survey. You may have had troubles balancing your work and personal life well before the global health crisis. Sometimes the companies and leadership teams in toxic work environments will demand that employees devote all their time and attention to work. That’s when many professionals experience difficulties managing their personal lives, family obligations, and any opportunities for self-care. This caused many women in the workplace to experience burnout as they took on the brunt of household tasks and childcare while balancing their careers during the lockdowns.

9. There’s no respect for your boundaries

It’s crucial for one’s mental health and performance to set boundaries at work. In toxic environments, not only is work-life balance not achievable, there are no boundaries. Calls and emails on the weekends, late-night requests, overtime, and a host of other boundary-busting actions by employers can lead to high burnout levels, and even higher turnover. There are ways to set firm boundaries at work, starting by being clear, concise, and identifying non-negotiables like time off on statutory holidays.

10. Loved ones have noticed you’re unhappy

If we spend a third of our adult lives at work, and we are miserable during that time, it’s easy to see how this could permeate other parts of our lives, making us miserable all the time. If loved ones have expressed concerns for your long hours, your mood swings, and your overall unhappiness at work, it’s not something you should ignore. Sure, they are not in your position, nor do they know what goes down each day in your job, but they have the advantage of seeing the signs that you’re miserable at work as outsiders looking in. By checking in with your physical, emotional, and relational well-being, you can determine if you’re heading in the right direction or steering into full-blown burnout territory.