8 Signs You’re in a Toxic Relationship with Your Job
One of the things we can take solace in during these not-so-happy times is that – generationally – we’re taking less s#!t from our jobs.
There was once a time when things such as weekends off and working less than 8 hours a day was considered crazy talk.
But as we head further into the 21st century, the next big business challenges will be cutting out the toxicity that is still rife in our day-to-day work life.
It can be hard to nail down as toxicity can come from all angles, including the people you work with, your upper management or even the work itself. To help you get a handle on it, I’ve put together some signs that show you’re in a toxic relationship with your job.
1. Poor Communication
Miscommunication is one of the leading struggles we all face in our lives. And when it weeds its way into our professional spaces, it can lead to workplace toxicity.
How exactly? Here’s a few examples of poor communication in the workplace:
Lack of discussion and listening
Lack of clarity around projects
Inconsistent and contradictory messaging
Passive aggressive or actively aggressive communications
Unwelcome communication outside of work hours
Unchecked rumour mills
Selfish communication
No follow-through following conversations
Conveying important messages via email
Besides being incredibly toxic, poor communication can also cause confusion, uncertainty, and overall lack of purpose which can often lead to decreased productivity.
2. Poor Work-Life Balance
It might be hard for some people to hear, but your life is more important than your work. We’ve all heard the phrase that “my work is my life”, but that s#!t needs to stop.
By all means, you should work your contracted hours. But the moment they end, your life should take precedent. If you find yourself being forced to do the following, then you have an unhealthy work-life balance:
Responding to out of hour emails or Slack messages
Feeling guilty for taking time off
Working overtime without pay
Working on your days off
Of course, there may be those times when you justifiably have to work outside your usual hours. But if it becomes a regular experience, or if you’re treated like your always available for work, then you - my friend - are in a toxic dump.
Besides, leadership really need to consider the impact of their employees’ work-life balance. When looking at reasons for why people leave their job, the CIPD’s Good Work Index 2022 Survey found that “better work–life balance is most common as a driver [of intention to leave] at either end of the labour market, with this reported by managers, directors and senior officials (27%), process, plant and machine operatives (30%) and elementary occupations (29%).”
3. Your Efforts Go Unrecognised
Ever feel like you’re putting in more than what you get back? Obviously, we’re not all expecting a song and a dance for everything we do (I can already feel the watchful eyes of baby boomers and their disdain for participation trophies). And for many, wages are thank you enough.
But imagine for a second that you’re in this scenario: you’ve just done your best work and the only responses you hear are “okay… here’s the next project”.
Just a little bit of acknowledgement goes a long way. And none speaks volumes.
4. High Turnover Rate
This one’s an obvious sign. But it’s still worth mentioning.
If it feels like your company is burning through employees, then you may have a toxic environment on your hands. While most companies will keep their turnover rate close to their chest, anything above 15% a year should be cause for concern.
While there are many reasons why someone might leave their job, a lot of the time it can be chalked up to anxiety, stress or even burnout.
5. Zero Room for Growth
Employee learning and development is one of the bare minimums your employer should be offering you. And if they don’t offer anything of the sort, then they do not value you.
While your career journey will ultimately be shaped by you, having no opportunity to push yourself professionally can make you feel like you’re stagnating, with nowhere to go.
6. Hostile Atmosphere
Is your boss constantly making threats that your job is in jeopardy? Are people straight-up aggressive to one another? Working in a hostile atmosphere is probably the biggest red flag that your workplace is toxic AF.
7. Racism, Sexism, and Homophobia Run Amok
It can be real uncomfortable hearing a colleague or upper management make a comment that is seriously offensive. It can be even worse when no one challenges them on it, letting it run rampant and unchecked.
Inclusion can be a hopeless thing to initiate in an openly hostile environment (check out my guide to LGBT inclusion if you do think it’s possible).
8. Dodgy Office Politics
You can’t escape office politics - unless you’re working with robots.
Although, if it’s so out of control that it starts to create genuine problems, then – you guessed it – that’s a sign of a toxic work environment.
Some examples of toxic office politics are:
Management playing favourites
Colleagues backstabbing or blackmailing one another
Gossiping or spreading rumours
Intentionally withholding important information
Manipulation and mind games
Unresolved conflict between colleagues
Keeping a tight rein on office politics should always fall to an organisation’s leaders. By carefully introducing checks and balances to prevent it getting toxic, you can unite colleagues, supervisors, and subordinates rather than set them against each other.
Anyway, leaving it go unchecked will decrease employee performance, productivity, and company morale.
What Can You Do?
If you see all or most of these signs at your workplace, then GET OUT NOW WHILE YOU STILL CAN!
If you’re able to make change, then you’re going to need some serious help. Through my DEI consulting and L&D services, I can help you address business pain points and drive team performance by meeting the development needs of your talent in a bespoke programme design.
I help individuals, full teams, or specific groups level up through tailor-made frameworks. Find out more by getting in touch today!
Written by Michael
Michael Mauro is the founder of a forward-thinking organisation specialising in leadership, HR and employee development. With over a decade of global experience, Michael has become a leading voice on topics such as culture, inclusion, wellbeing, and the future of leadership.
