12 signs you're in a toxic work environment

The work environment or work climate are the perceptions that a worker has about the processes and structures that occur in the organization where he works.

It occurs at different levels (organizational, workplace, personal) and exerts a direct influence on their behavior, on their level of satisfaction and well-being at work.

• Related article: "Toxic bosses: 11 characteristics that define them"

How to know if we are in a toxic work environment

There are different signs that indicate that we are in a negative work environmentFor example, our boss makes life miserable for us or coworkers all go their own way.

In the following lines I will delve into these signals, which are the ones shown below.

1. Negative leadership

In recent years, many of the studies and research related to well-being at work have related to the influence that leadership styles have on the well-being of the workers. Superiors, due to the place they occupy in the organizational structure, exert a great influence on many people. A single boss or manager action can have negative or positive consequences on an entire team, and therefore, on the results of the company.

Research indicates that those superiors who employ a transformational leadership style, that is, they care about workers, are charismatic, communicate efficiently and have a strong shared vision, which they reach out to workers (They are capable of changing their expectations, perceptions and motivations), they are the ones that obtain the best results for the company and a greater well-being of the workers.

• If you want to delve into this topic, you can read our article: "Types of Leadership: The 5 most common types of leader”

2. Role issues

Roles function as guidelines for behaviorAlthough they can be extremely complex, they are essential for the well-being of workers. Role problems can occur frequently in companies when someone is not clear about their role within the company (role ambiguity), they have to do tasks who do not belong (role overload) or have to deal with demands, demands at work that are incongruous or incompatible with each other to perform the job (conflict of role).

These role problems are stressors and burnout and they tend to occur many times due to poor communication, especially from the upper layers of the company (for example, in the relationship with superiors or due to an unclear company structure).

3. Work overload

If in the previous point I have talked about role overload, which is rather a psychological phenomenon in the that the person can perform tasks that are not theirs (but does not necessarily include an excess of job); Work overload is more of a physical phenomenon, in which the person simply does not cope with the volume of work that he has to do.

For example, if an employee only has the capacity to produce 2 machines a day and the management asks for 8. Logically, the worker will end up stressed and will suffer the negative consequences of this phenomenon.

This is a situation that can occur relatively frequently due to the logic present in many companies, consisting of achieving the maximum profit in the shortest possible time. To achieve this, expenses that will not positively impact the productivity of the company are reduced. organization from day one, which leads to concentrating the maximum amount of work on the minimum number of hands. The result is usually burnout, something that can become chronic and that is not only detrimental to the worker, but also lowers the productivity ceiling of the company.

4. Toxic companions (mobbing)

Co-workers are one of the key elements in the work environment, whether for better or for worse. Scientific studies suggest the good relationship with these has a buffering effect in relation to the stress, that is, in cases in which this phenomenon manifests itself, partners reduce its effect negative. However, a bad relationship with colleagues is a very frequent stressor. Especially if there are cases of workplace harassment or mobbing in this relationship.

There are different types of mobbing, so the harasser or harassed can also be a boss. To learn about the different types of workplace harassment, you can read our article: "The 6 types of mobbing or workplace harassment”

5. Lack of commitment to the organization

Researchers, when they want to know the work environment, usually measure some variables that are a consequence of the decline in well-being at work. one of them is the lack of commitment to the company.

When a person is comfortable at work feels the company as his own and is even proud to belong to that brand. The same does not happen when the work environment is toxic.

6. Desires to leave the company and absenteeism

Another variable that is a consequence of being unhappy at work is absenteeism, that is, when the person is absent from work frequently for different reasons, usually due to sick leave medical. If this phenomenon appears, it is because there are reasons for it, beyond the marketing strategies that the organization can use to keep its staff happy.

However, it is not necessary for workers to be absent or leave the company when they are unhappy, because in recent times this figure has been reduced with the economic crisis and because of the “survivor syndrome”. In reality, the simple idea of ​​leaving the company can be measured, and this is what is known as the intention to leave the company. When a person finds himself in a toxic work environment, the desire to leave the company increases.

7. You are not motivated to go to work

The two previous points are a clear indication of demotivation towards work and the little desire to work that is generated when the work environment is toxic. People who are not comfortable at work or are stressed feel a great heaviness and demotivation every time they have to go to the workplace.

In turn, demotivation is usually reflected in the accumulation of tasks to be done, which in turn causes greater stress and discomfort, in a vicious circle.

8. You feel that you cannot grow within the company

The structure of the company and also affects the well-being of the workers and the motivation that one feels, and when there is no development plan, people perceive that they are stagnant. In the long run, this is not positive for your well-being and, therefore, stress and demotivation appear.

Fundamentally, the problem is that the present is associated with what the future may hold, leaving very little room for improvement. This perspective is totally demotivating, because it also gives a vision of the organization in which one is only a piece whose task is to keep working without looking much beyond their routine.

9. Irrational schedules

Many companies, aware of the need that people have to earn a salary, set schedules for their workers that do not take into account their needs outside of work, their leisure time and, in general, their well-being. In fact, some companies even do it illegally. The need to have a job leads many people not to report despite having illegal hours and working conditions.

10. Bad communication

One of the phenomena that causes greater discomfort at work and a toxic work environment is communication, which can manifest itself at different levels. In the first point, I have talked about leadership styles and their influence on stress, and whether a leadership style is considered healthy or not is often determined by the communicative skills. However, bad communication can also occur, for example, between colleagues or from different departments of the company, and can generate role problems, discomfort, conflicts and other phenomena negatives.

11. You don't feel valued

People are emotional beings, and we all like to be valued. The vast majority of us have spent half our lives studying and fighting for our careers.

Just a few decades ago, many companies trained workers, and some of them felt they owed the organization a debt. Nowadays, after studying and paying for the studies during the 4 years of Bachelor's degrees (plus the different Masters) we want a little respect and appreciation. When this does not happen, it is very likely that demotivation and discomfort are a sign of presence.

12. You are stressed or burned out

All the above points have something in common, and that is that if they occur over a long period of time they generate stress and burnout: one of the great evils of work, because it not only affects the workers but also the results of the organization.

It is common to see entire departments and even groups (for example, nurses) suffering stress from all the above variables and others that also affect the work environment and that are beyond the control of the business. For example, political decisions or budget cuts in health (in the case of nurses). Therefore, there are many variables that can lead a person to live in a toxic work environment.

• If you want to know more: "8 essential tips to reduce work stress”