All jobs can be toxic at some level — even on good days. From feeling miserable and unhappy at work to dealing with a difficult boss, toxic work situations can manifest in many ways. At worst, if you continue to wallow in these situations, it can lead to your constant hatred toward your job, which is a recipe for a miserable life.
Another consequence of a toxic workplace is serious disruptions in the rest of your life. According to Melody Wilding, a coach and human-behavior professor, a toxic work environment can lead to “sleepless nights, feeling constantly vigilant, sweaty palms, and a racing heartbeat.”
Since leaving your job is not an easy decision, how do you handle a toxic workplace? You can handle the problem depending on the situation. Here are the nine toxic work situations and how to deal with them.
1. Your job is boring and unrewarding.
Nobody likes to work for a company that’s unchallenging and unrewarding. Day after day, month after month, you are struggling to do tasks that do not satisfy you. So how do you solve this? What are the best steps to take?
The best way to resolve this problem is to talk to your human resources staff. Ask if they have other opportunities for growth or other positions that you think will suit you better. You may also give feedback on how to give opportunities to the employees that can lead to employee growth and development.
Related course: Cultivating a Growth Mindset
2. Your co-workers hate their job.
Whiny co-workers can be toxic to your day-to-day work too. They constantly complain about the company — the management, customers, co-workers, and just about everything. As a result, their attitude can bring you down as well, leading to job dissatisfaction and misery.
Unfortunately, you can’t change their attitude and mindset. But what you can do is to move on and stay away from them to avoid catching the bug. A whiny attitude is very contagious, and the best thing you can do when you are faced with such behavior is avoidance.
Related course: Personal Effectiveness Tips
3. You have a bad boss.
Sadly, bad bosses are an inevitable part of every company. Whether they are terrible at leading or they are just plain nasty people, it’s rare for them to change.
The best way to deal with them is to stand tall and never cower. Never be intimidated by a bully. If they are a yeller or a criticizer, keep your head held high and don’t give them the power to push you out. Instead of responding with anger, seek to understand and ask questions respectfully.
If you feel compelled to call them out, do it with a cool head and prepare for a possible fallout. Make sure that you have documented their behavior, so you have all the proof to show if the issue reaches the upper management.
Related course: Bad Boss: Dealing with a Difficult Manager
4. You’re not developing in your career.
One part of this problem is your manager who doesn’t seem to care about their employees’ career and development. All they care about is their employees’ current jobs. As a result, employees feel like they’re stuck with nowhere to go next.
But why wait for someone else to take action if you can take responsibility for your own career development? The best way to deal with this is to attend online classes, watch tutorial videos, and read plenty of books. Remember that no one will care as much about your career development and growth as you do, so start making actions now.
Related course: Creating a Career Plan
5. You live in fear about getting fired.
Honestly, the only best solution here is to find a new job. Especially when your company is constantly operating near bankruptcy, it will only make you constantly worried and can also wear out your enthusiasm and optimism.
6. You feel stuck for different reasons.
It could be because your company is small or you’ve been passed over for promotion.
If you’ve brought up the problem to your boss, and they don’t seem to have any plan to resolve it, the best solution is to go find a new job. After all, there’s nothing wrong with being ambitious — so go do it.
7. You work for a company that doesn’t value respect
Your managers make promises they can’t keep. Worse, they lie to their customers. There’s no other solution here but to bail as quickly as you can. A company that doesn’t value respect doesn’t target success. There far more ethical and better companies out there where you can apply for.
8. They don’t value your ideas.
One of the worst feelings is trying to come up with an idea as best as you can only for it to go unacknowledged. Staying for a company that doesn’t acknowledge an employee’s ideas will make you question your skills and competency.
Find a more supportive workplace where you’ll feel that your ideas are valued and considered.
9. Your job will never pay you more than minimum wage.
It’s hard to live paycheck to paycheck. And knowing that they’ll never give you a raise just makes you want to get out of your job and find a new one.
Find the same job position from other companies and compare your salary to theirs. Then, make a decision; the best way to do this is to ask yourself, “For how long am I willing to work with this much compensation?” Explore other better-paying options.
By knowing the different toxic work situations, you will be able to handle them better and take your next step at your own phase and on your own terms. In time, you’ll be able to find a job that you’ll truly enjoy working for.