Abuse or Toxic Work Place?

I think when we talk about 'toxic work place culture' we diminish what at times it often fundamentally is, abuse.

I think we need to be very careful about the language and terminology we use. Language has a way to change the framework and context that we view situations, experiences and feelings. Referring to situations, as simply 'toxic' in my opinion diminishes the trauma experienced by the employee.

Reach-Out Australia defines and outlines examples of emotional abuse (see below). I have witnessed and experienced a mixture of these over the course of my career in construction. I would hazard a guess, that you too, would have witnessed or experienced at least one of the below examples. At the time I dismissed these situations as a, toxic or aggressive work environment. However, as I reflect now on the experiences of my peers in construction, my views on those situations are rapidly changing.

Some of these examples, seem so common place in construction. It is an aggressive, stressful, fast paced and male dominated industry. None of these facts however, excuse these behaviours and I will no longer be referring to situations like this or companies like this as "toxic' but instead be labelling them in a factual framework; abusive. I implore you to call out the below behaviours when you see them or experience them in your workplace. Do not simply brush it off or simply see it as a 'toxic work place' or 'toxic culture'. We all deserve better and abuse will no longer be tolerated.

Verbal abuse: yelling at you, insulting you or swearing at you.

Rejection: Constantly rejecting your thoughts, ideas and opinions.

Gaslighting: making you doubt your own feelings and thoughts, and even your sanity, by manipulating the truth.

Put-downs: calling you names or telling you that you’re stupid, publicly embarrassing you, blaming you for everything.

Public humiliation is also a form of social abuse.

Causing fear: making you feel afraid, intimidated or threatened.Isolation: limiting your freedom of movement, stopping you from contacting other people (such as friends or family). It may also include stopping you from doing the things you normally do – social activities, sports, school or work. Isolating someone overlaps with social abuse.

Financial abuse: controlling or withholding your money, preventing you from working or studying, stealing from you.

Bullying and intimidation: purposely and repeatedly saying or doing things that are intended to hurt you.