The Ultimate Signs of a Toxic Work Environment

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What is a Toxic Job

If you work in an environment that is utterly dysfunctional, you may have a toxic job. Unlike a regular job, a toxic job is one that is so unhealthy it wreaks havoc on your social, emotional, and physical well-being over time. That’s why recognizing the signs of a toxic work environment is crucial.

I will never forget the way a toxic job once affected my life. I can still feel the nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach, taste the dryness in my mouth and throat, and feel my hands shaking because my body simply couldn’t calm down no matter what I tried.

I’m not typically a crier, but my toxic job wore me down so much that my body reacted by sobbing at times. The grief I felt having to be there was simply more than I could bear. My toxic job was actually pushing me into a depression at the time, and I couldn’t pull myself out of it. I tried everything, but nothing resolved my issues.

The frequent headaches I got were debilitating. The stomach issues I would rather not mention. And then nightmares started up and they replayed night after night, no matter how I tried to soothe myself before getting into bed.

I would wake up to my alarm and my whole body would instantly tense up as I realized that it was yet another day in my personal hell. Every single morning, I felt like I might get out of bed and vomit right there on the floor. I’m certain that’s why I had so many knots in my neck and shoulders when I woke up too.

I was extremely happy outside of work, but when I was at my toxic job or even on the way there, my soul felt like it was trapped in my body, and all I wanted to do was escape.

In all reality, I hope that you’ve never experienced this kind of stress from work. But statistically speaking, you probably already have, or you will at some point in the future. Your symptoms may look slightly different than mine, but experiencing a toxic job is something that you will never forget once it happens to you.

Now that you know what a toxic job is at its core, let’s learn to recognize the signs of a toxic work environment and determine what you can do to make your situation much better today.

If you’re reading this article, you’ve probably wasted enough time already. Let’s get you out of there!

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Brooke’s Top Pick for a Toxic Workplace Tracker

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What is a Toxic Work Environment

Americans are notorious for working far too much and taking care of ourselves far too little. Combine that with a toxic work environment, and you are literally killing yourself with stress little by little each day. But how do you know if your workplace is a toxic work environment or if you simply don’t like what you do for a living?

A toxic work environment is characterized by pervasive hostility—which can include gossip, bullying, favoritism, micromanagement, lack of transparency and support, or unhealthy levels of competition. By definition, toxic work environments negatively affect your health, productivity level, and morale.

Sound familiar? Ding, ding, ding! You have experienced a toxic job, my friend, so it’s time to stop questioning yourself and admit that you deserve better.

According to The American Institute of Stress, our workloads contribute to 47% of our overall stress levels. Additionally, 77% of employees reported that their mental health has been impacted negatively by work and 71% felt that their job contributed to a relationship failure in their personal life.

I know that in my toxic work environment, the stress came from a combination of all of the above. So where is yours coming from?

Is your boss demanding more than any human could ever do? Are your co-workers in a clique you’ll never be a part of? Do you feel completely out of the loop on what’s going on? Or do you feel like your job might disappear at any moment and no one cares to reassure you?

A toxic work environment often forms when:

• A healthy work culture has not been established by management
• A bad manager ruins the vibe of the entire business
• Vindictive co-workers talk behind your back, complain about virtually everything, or take credit for your ideas
• Customers are impossible to appease, and you don’t have support from your supervisor

A toxic work environment isn’t formed when:

• The majority of people seem content at work even though they’d rather not be working
• Your manager does just enough to get by but nothing more
• Your co-workers are friendly enough, but you don’t get together outside of work
• Customers occasionally make your day difficult, but your supervisor doesn’t hold it against you

Now that you’re an expert on what a toxic work environment is and is noy, you’re ready to discover the concrete, slap you in the face, blatantly obvious signs of a toxic work environment.

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Brooke’s Top Pick for a Toxic Job Candle

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Signs of a Toxic Work Environment

Educating yourself on the signs of a toxic work environment is the first step in determining whether or not you have a toxic job. While there are many signs of a toxic work environment that may indicate this, the overarching theme is that your health and well-being are harmed as a result.

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Never fear. Recognizing that you do in fact have a toxic job is easy once you know the top 10 signs of a toxic work environment:

1. Communication is Lacking

Clear goals and expectations are not communicated to all staff effectively. Employees are unsure of what they are working toward, how their job duties are contributing to the company as a whole, or how they rate as a member of the team.

2. Leadership is Poor

Managers who lack effective leadership skills can be completely absent, unwilling to support their employees, or confrontational and verbally abusive. Employees do not feel secure in their jobs or as if they are a valuable asset to the company when leadership is poor.

3. Co-Workers Are Unmotivated

When co-workers are unmotivated, the bulk of the workload tends to get placed on the desks of the few hard-working employees who are present. Those employees then start to feel underappreciated, unfairly treated, and overworked. Drama ensues.

4. Competition is Cutthroat

When employers push for ever-increasing and often unattainable goals, competition can become cutthroat among employees. This fierce competition can lead people to cut corners, cheat, or even steal work or clients from one another

5. Exclusions Are Obvious

Cliques do not always end in high school. Many toxic work environments have certain groups of employees who are excluded from social invitations, decision-making, and/or promotions based on gender, ethnicity, religion, age, or sexual orientation. Of course, you can also be excluded for none of the above, simply because people don’t like you for whatever reason.

6. Appreciation is Missing

Feeling appreciated for the time and effort it takes to do the job right is something that all employees need in order to feel successful. When appreciation is missing, employees tend to feel worthless, unseen, or like their work has no purpose.

7. No Opportunities for Advancement

Professional development training and promotional opportunities are an important part of employee growth. When these opportunities do not exist, employees start to feel stuck because there is nothing positive to look forward to.

8. Work-Life Balance is Neglected

There is nothing more important in a job than having a healthy work-life balance. When employees are forced to choose between keeping their jobs and maintaining their personal lives, those long hours and high demands will begin to take their toll.

9. Turnover is High

High turnover is a huge problem for employees who remain at work. It causes an increased workload on them and is a huge red flag that the employer is not taking care of its employees.

10. Anxiety is Commonplace

When anxiety at work becomes commonplace, it’s a major indicator that the current position is not an ideal one. Short-term stress at work can be normal at times, but long-term anxiety with physical and emotional symptoms is not normal. It is a huge sign of a toxic workplace.

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Leaving a Toxic Workplace

For some, leaving a toxic workplace is as simple as making the decision to quit. For others, leaving a toxic workplace is inhibited by many factors that make it that much harder. No matter which category you fall under, leaving a toxic job is possible with planning and an established timeline.

Financial, familial, or social obligations holding you back from quitting a position that no longer serves you. We’ll all been there.

Whether you’re worried about your next paycheck, feeling anxious about the unknown, have loyalty or guilt eating you up inside, or you simply prefer your established routine, leaving a toxic job isn’t always a quick or easy solution for many of us. No matter what others may say, plenty of people stay in a toxic work environment longer than they should because certain factors are holding them back.

If this describes you, here is some advice to get you through. This is only temporary advice. Eventually, your excuses will fade away as you plan for the future and reach the timeline you have set for yourself.

How to Deal with Toxic Coworkers

Need some good advice for how to deal with toxic coworkers? I polled some experts, and here it what they had to say on the subject:

1. “Dealing with a toxic co-worker can be incredibly draining, impacting your well-being and productivity. The most effective strategy I’ve seen involves understanding their pattern, setting firm boundaries, and strategically disengaging. This approach is empowering and preserves your professional focus.

First, try to objectively understand the pattern of the co-worker’s behavior without attempting to diagnose them. Are they consistently negative, undermining, or attention-seeking? Recognizing the predictable nature of their actions helps depersonalize their behavior. It’s less about you and more about their typical way of interacting. This insight prepares you.

Next, establish clear professional boundaries. Decide what behaviors you will and will not engage with. You might choose to only discuss work-related topics, keep interactions brief, or avoid gossip. Communicate calmly and assertively if a boundary is crossed, perhaps by saying, “I’d prefer to keep our discussion focused on the project.”

Finally, strategically disengage. This isn’t rudeness; it’s about not fueling the toxic dynamic. Avoid emotional reactions to provocations. Limit non-essential contact. If communication is necessary, prefer channels like email, keeping the tone factual. Documenting interactions can be useful if escalation to HR becomes necessary.” – Ishdeep Narang, Board Certified Adult, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, ACES Psychiatry

2. “As a CEO leading a creative and diverse team, I’ve found that the best way to handle a toxic co-worker is to address it directly but professionally. Talk to them privately, share your concerns calmly, and focus on how their behavior affects the team or work, not on them. If things don’t improve, set clear boundaries and involve HR if needed. A respectful and collaborative work environment is crucial for creativity, teamwork, and delivering outstanding results for clients.” – David Zhang, CEO, Kate Backdrops

3. “The majority of times I’ve encountered toxic behavior from coworkers, the individual didn’t set out to create a negative atmosphere. More often, they were burned out, stressed, or struggling with personal or professional challenges that were affecting their mindset and, as a result, the people around them. In a few cases, they weren’t even aware their behavior was coming across as toxic until someone pointed it out.

That’s why my first step is always a private, empathetic conversation with the person involved. I focus on the specific behaviors and their impact on me or the team, rather than making generalizations or accusations. It helps to reference a recent incident as a clear, concrete example.

I’ve also learned how important it is to give the other person a chance to respond. Really listen to what they have to say without interrupting, arguing, or brushing off their feelings. Hearing that your behavior has caused harm is difficult, and defensiveness is a natural reaction. But when you stay calm and show empathy, you’re much more likely to be heard, and to see the other person become open to change.

If a direct conversation doesn’t feel safe or appropriate, I recommend bringing your concerns to a supervisor. Be specific about the behavior, how it’s affecting the team, and what you hope will change. The goal shouldn’t be to get the other person “in trouble”, but rather to protect a healthy work culture and address the issue before it causes more damage.

Escalating to a manager is also smart when you suspect that deeper issues like depression, addiction, or PTSD might be behind the behavior. In those cases, a supervisor is often better positioned to connect the employee with support resources, and the advice to seek help may be more impactful coming from a leader.” – Steve Faulkner, Founder & Chief Recruiter, Spencer James Group

How to Deal with a Toxic Boss

Wondering how to deal with a toxic boss effectively? There are many strategies that can help you deal with a toxic boss and lower your stress level at work. The key is to think critically, commit to improving the relationship, and take the necessary steps to protect your well-being.

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Here are 5 steps to keep your career on track while dealing with a toxic boss:

1. Set Clear Boundaries

Be respectful but firm. Clearly communicate the hours you work, the duties that are assigned to you, and the types of interactions you expect to have while at work.

2. Communicate Through Writing

The benefits of communicating through writing are two-fold. Writing allows you to stay cool, calm, and collected from a distance, and it also provides a trail of what has been said. This documentation can help you in the future if needed.

3. Lean on Your Mentor or Career Advisor

Some people just rub each other the wrong way. Lean on a mentor or career advisor you trust to receive unbiased feedback and help you find solutions to the problems you’re facing.

4. Use the Resources Available to You

Most companies have anonymous feedback tools, employee-assistance programs, and human resources employees to help you through difficult situations. Think of these resources as a part of your benefits package and don’t be afraid to use them.

5. Prepare for the Future

It’s never a bad idea to prepare for future opportunities that may arise. Keep your resume updated, be careful of what you post online, and network with people in your field. Sometimes a toxic boss is just what you need to push you in another direction.

While no one wants to work for a toxic boss long-term, these strategies will help you through a challenging time without uprooting your whole life. Don’t let emotions get the best of you. Commit to doing your best during each interaction and focus on building the life you want.

If that vision moves you to look for a new job, read below for how to quit a toxic job and spot toxic companies before you accept an offer.

How to Quit a Toxic Job

Learning how to quit a toxic job is often a process, not an overnight decision. But with the right preparation beforehand, anyone can make a plan for how to quit a toxic job without doing damage to their professional reputation or their financial future.

Let’s be honest, walking into your boss’s office and making a grand declaration about how toxic your job is and where they can shove it may sound like a satisfying way to go out, but most of us want a quieter, less dramatic exit. For those of you who fall into that territory, I give you the following.

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Here are the top 10 steps for how to quit a toxic job the right way:

1. Make a list of what you’re looking for in a new job.
2. Save as much money as possible.
3. Brush up on your skills and obtain new certifications relevant to your career.
4. Update your resume and cover letter template.
5. Set your social media accounts to private and don’t post anything controversial on them.
6. Start networking with people in the industry that you will be applying to.
7. Ask people you trust to write letters of recommendation and to be references for you.
8. Do your research and apply to jobs that you think will benefit your life.
9. Research potential interview questions for your industry and have someone hold a mock interview with you.
10. Make self-care a priority immediately and work on ways to relieve your stress.

Doesn’t that feel better? I always love having a plan. And to get you in the right frame of mind to execute that plan, here are some handy dandy affirmations.

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How to Spot Toxic Companies

Unless you are financially independent, and I sure hope that you are because boy does that make things easier, you definitely want to avoid falling into another toxic work environment. Wouldn’t that be awful? Thankfully, there are ways to figure that out before you accept a new job offer.

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Here are 5 red flags of a toxic company during the hiring process:

1. The job description indicates that high levels of stress are par for the course. Keywords like fast-paced environment, being a jack of all trades, and working under tight deadlines, are some you want to look out for.
2. Employee reviews on job sites are notably bad. If several former or current employees are complaining about management, high turnover rates, or company culture, it’s not a good sign.
3. The interview process is noticeably disorganized. Sharing next steps in the interview process is commonplace, so think critically about the job if that information is not clearly communicated to you.
4. Interviewers are vague when you ask questions about anything like pay, benefits, work-life balance, or company culture. Take special notice if they dance around the topic of why this job is available.
5. You receive an offer quickly and are pressured to sign their employment agreement shortly after receiving it. Sometimes a job offer is too good to be true.

When at all possible, find out if someone in your inner circle has worked for the company you’re interested in or knows someone who has. Remember, the company is working hard to see if you would be a good fit for their job and you should be doing the same.

How to Survive a Toxic Job

Learning how to survive a toxic job is a process that anyone can master. The most important step is to realize that your situation is only temporary. After that, you need to set a deadline that makes sense for your personal situation and create a plan with actionable steps that will help you leave.

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Here are the top dos and don’ts for learning how to survive a toxic job:

Do

• Realize that you deserve freedom and happiness in all aspects of your life.
• Accept that you can find happiness at work again.
• Remember that a job does not define who you are as a person.
• Understand that there are plenty of other jobs available.
• Believe that you have a lot to offer.
• Put in the effort to showcase your talents with an updated resume and cover letter.
• Look for an employer who appreciates your experiences and skills.
• Take your time finding a new job that fulfills you.

Don’t

• Think that constant stress and anxiety at work is normal.
• Feel stuck in this career path forever.
• Feel trapped by debt and personal obligations.
• Let this job make you feel like a failure.
• Believe that your next job will be just as bad.
• Let the fear of the unknown stop you.
• Take the first job you can get out of desperation.
• Give up.

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FAQs

1. What is a toxic job?

A toxic job is any position that negatively affects your overall well-being. While all jobs are stressful at times, a toxic job damages you physically and emotionally more often than not and can even lead to long-term health consequences.

2. How do you deal with a toxic job?

The best way to deal with a toxic job is to make self-care a priority. Remind yourself that your job does not define you as a person, take care of your physical and emotional needs, and make a plan to escape your toxic job in the near future.

3. Should I quit my toxic job?

Once you recognize that you have a toxic job, it’s best to start planning for your future. Toxic work environments do a lot of harm to those who work there, and it’s best to move on to a job that aligns with your current wants and needs.

Sources

• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety: Workplace Stress-General
• NCC: Quick Ways to Relieve Your Stress at Work
• The American Institute of Stress: Workplace Stress

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What’s the worst job experience you’ve ever had? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.