Changing And Recognizing Toxic Workplaces

We have seen lots of employees saying “that they don’t want to go to work tomorrow” at some point of time. But truly there is a thin line between wanting an extra day off and dreading to going to work. Employees who dread work could be working in a toxic environment, which hurts employee well-being, productivity and customer relationship.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE A TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT?

Have you ever found yourself sitting in the parking lot dreading going to work? Is it that when you think about work it makes you physically ill? Have you ever thought of quitting job which you once enjoyed? You may have experienced a toxic work environment.? The problem is prevalent, with more people dealing with it than you think. Almost all of us spend about half of our waking hours at work, there’s plenty of time for workplace dysfunction to emerge.

If you have to strike a difference between the people who work and people who pay for work can be tough. Those who offer money for someone’s else’s labour may see themselves as benefactors, doing labourers a favour by giving them money. Co-workers throughout the office can be a problem, as some of them have cutthroat mentalities when it comes to making themselves indispensable.? There could be few employees who would feel the need to overwork for meeting standards of production, leading to burnout, depression and poor physical health.

WHAT SHOULD EMPLOYERS DO?

Firstly, work environment which is toxic have plagued the workforce for ages. Lawyers do practice employment laws only for employees & employers. Toxic work cultures, generally happens in young companies where fair employment practices aren't established.? They may say, “we just do things in this manner”, even if it makes for a hostile work environment where workers feel attacked and targeted.

There are lots of studies show about various toxic behaviours- gossip, nepotism, discrimination, overworking, harassment- the clearer it becomes how those behaviours hurt the company’s bottom line. Consequences include a lack of communication, high employee turnover and level of stress that affects every one’s productivity.? So if you have ever heard that “Life’s not fair,” when complaining about your toxic environment of workplace, you can proudly answer that such unfairness actually results in worse revenues.

HOW BAD CULTURES HURT PRODUCTIVITY

Humans are quite simple creatures. All we look for is a job where can work & earn easily for our living. Unfortunately, some of the toxic people take unnecessary advantage of this desire by pushing us to our wits end and demanding endlessly more.? They often have expectations which are really unrealistic, urging employees to “tough it out” or “work harder” without considering how they don’t have any way of meeting their goals.

Let’s be clear that it isn’t normal

Numerous studies show how toxic workplaces negatively affect productivity, depression, leading to disunity, stress and burnout, all of which do spreads like wildfire until people start leaving in drones.? They would rather work anywhere else than spend another day feeling unsafe at work. This is the problem: contrary to “tough Love” ideologies that encourage rigid compliance, pushing employees into an unhealthy mental state doesn’t actually get results. There are lots of ways to challenge people that don’t hurt their self-esteem and self- worth. Creating the healthy work environment would require a bit of imagination for incentivizing for people to do better, it may get better results.

There are few people who wants to commit around 8 hrs of work duration for spending in office. As a result, they do earn money, but if it’s just a means to an end- if they are an easily replaceable cog in a machine-they will probably leave the organizations to find another work.

Creating a healthy, human resources, administrators, positive work environment takes effort from executives and co-workers. But by failing to do so, you may drive your best workers off to find greener pastures.

WHAT DOES TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT LOOK LIKE?

OVERWORKED EMPLOYEES

Probably the most common toxic work trait is the company culture where executive and managers demand that employees give 110 percent at all times. It’s one thing to hear this from childhood soccer coach, but for day-in, day-out performance, 110 percent simply isn’t realistic. Every employee has some good and other bad days; employees need to respect those limits.

In the full time job, we are constantly finishing one task only to receive another from queue.? There’s no end in sight –it’s not worth rushing what has no possibility of ending. Just because a sales team aggressively sells a product doesn’t mean workers are presented with super power human abilities. They require time to complete the job, which means that no company goals are realistic until it is realistically accounts for the time it takes to make it happen. If the delivery team is constantly hard-pressed to meet goals –or berated for not meeting them- you suffer from poor leadership, not a lack of ambition.

The problem above could be especially bad for salaried employees whose offer letters specify that “some overtime would be required”. Even though employees work regularly on the night shifts, mostly in software companies, even though it’s mentioned that it could be just few days. It’s not what they signed up for, and eventually, those extra requirements will bite you in the butt.

If every employee personal life is taking the backseat because they constantly overworked, it may be a good idea to ask why this is happening. Is this what they signed up for?

HARD TO MAKE FRIENDS AT WORK

Work is weird. We spend ample of time with our co-workers, only to clock out and forget when return home. Even though work place relationships are important, for completing task at work you require some help from others, which means making friendship here and there. On principle, toxic employees refuse to be friends. It’s hard to be sure about what’s happening there, but suffice it to say some people are bullies. Their insecurities force them the ill-treat their co-workers making it extremely difficult to dig into work for anyone whose job requires some collaborations.

If you are stuck working with a toxic boss, it can be a huge headache, and asking to make conditions better is helpful to both employees and employer. Professionalism is all about eliminating barriers to productivity.

RED FLAGS OF TOXIC ENVIRONMENT

Few red flags that show up in listing for a new job-

“work hard, play hard”, which urges employees to go extra miles all times.

Salary ranges from higher upper limit but undefined lower limits

Trial periods where employees are required to work for free or on low wages

Old job postings –reposted again and again