Are You in a Toxic Work Environment? Signs, Answers, Solutions for 2024

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re in a toxic work environment. When people are in an environment where they’re supported and treated well, they don’t wonder if their job is toxic. But, just because you find yourself in a toxic situation doesn’t mean you have to stay there. Recognizing the signs of a toxic work environment is the first step toward making a change for the better. From there, you can take steps to protect yourself and prioritize your well-being.

Jump to Section

• What Qualifies as a Toxic Work Environment?
• Toxic Workplace Checklist
• Effects of a Toxic Work Environment to an Employee
• How Do You Handle a Toxic Working Environment?

What Qualifies as a Toxic Work Environment?

The following 7 signs of a toxic work environment can be a strong indicator that you need to evaluate your situation and perhaps make a change.

Signs of a Toxic Work Environment

1. Uncertainty about roles

The first out of 7 signs of a toxic work environment is a lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities. Without clear guidance, employees can feel uncertain about their priorities and how their contributions fit into the bigger picture. Employees who are unsure of their duties or their supervisor’s expectations may also feel anxious and confused, which can exacerbate inefficiencies.

2. Poor reviews

Reviews are a pretty good indicator of the type of work culture you may find yourself walking into. Check out Glassdoor or Indeed to look for the company's reviews just to see what former employees have to say and check for common threads. See what people are saying about the leadership team:

• Are they living to the core values?
• Are they setting realistic expectations for their fellow employees?
• Is the compensation competitive?
• Do they treat people with respect or are they laying them off at a moment’s notice?
• What’s the work-life balance like? Do they regularly host team building games and offer corporate gifts?

Finding answers to these questions can give you a good sense of the company culture and whether it aligns with your values and expectations.

3. Lack of work/life balance

Most jobs should be performed satisfactorily in 40 hours. If employees routinely have to work 60+ hours a week to get a job done, the company is either understaffed or they're overworking, or both. A good boss isn't going to be calling employees on nights and weekends asking for status updates on things that can wait till Monday. If employees have to routinely work excessive hours as part of a normal work culture, then it’s probably a toxic work environment.

4. Micromanagement

Another sign of being in a toxic work environment is relentless and constant criticism that causes self-doubt. Employees might feel like they can’t do anything right, with no sense of autonomy or flexibility. This is what micromanagement looks like. Micromanagement not only wastes time but also drains employees' motivation, creating a high-stress work environment.

5. Blame culture

Aggressive, cutthroat toxic work environments are often defined by a pervasive blame mentality. Mistakes aren’t viewed as opportunities for growth but as punishable offenses, and if an employee makes an error, they’re harshly reprimanded.

6. Lack of appreciation

In a toxic work environment, employees often feel undervalued and overlooked. Their hard work is ignored, their contributions are minimized, and they’re left with the impression that their efforts don’t make a difference. Even small gestures like coworker gifts that can sometimes help uplift spirits and show appreciation are lacking.

7. Hostility

Toxic work environment signs also include a prevalence of negative interactions such as rudeness, bullying and gossip. You might find that some colleagues derive satisfaction from undermining others or causing them unnecessary stress, while others adopt these behaviors as a means of self-preservation.

What Are the 5 Attributes of a Toxic Work Culture?

What are the 5 attributes of a toxic work culture? Below we tackle some of the most prevalent toxic work environment signs.

1. Bad leadership

As the old saying goes “people don’t leave a bad job, they leave a bad boss.” Sometimes, a bad boss is the result of their own bad boss, perpetuating a cycle of ineffective leadership. This generational chain of poor management creates a toxic workplace culture.

Bad bosses come in many forms. From the micromanager who undermines your decisions to the blame-shifter who is quick to shift responsibility for mistakes onto anyone but themselves, each type contributes to a dysfunctional work environment.

2. Gaslighting

Gaslighting is when someone manipulates you into questioning your own feelings, perceptions or even your sanity. It’s a subtle but powerful form of psychological control that can leave you feeling unheard, unsure of yourself and ultimately, disempowered.

In the workplace, gaslighting can be especially damaging as it erodes trust and creates a sense of confusion and self-doubt among employees.

3. Lack of trust

The absence of trust among colleagues and between management and staff in a toxic work environment is often palpable. This distrust can look like managers who are constantly looking over their employees’ shoulders, bombarding their team with messages, emails or pings, and incessantly checking on progress and tasks.

4. Gossiping

Gossip often thrives in toxic work environments due to the lack of open and healthy communication. Employees who talk about one another behind each others’ backs perpetuate harmful communication that fosters distrust, fuels unnecessary drama and can even escalate into bullying.

5. High turnover rates

High turnover rates are a sure sign that something is amiss in the workplace. While it’s normal for companies to have some turnover, an abnormally high turnover rate in a company or department tends to spell trouble and is one of the 7 signs of a toxic work environment.

Also, if an organization has a reputation for terminating people for small infractions or for not hitting difficult-to-fill metrics, that’s a huge red flag. What this shows is an inept management team or one that doesn’t care about its employees.

Toxic Work Environment Examples

The current job landscape is such that there’s no shortage of toxic work environment examples that many would relate to. Say, for example, you're constantly being micromanaged and belittled by your superiors. This can look like constantly checking in on your work, criticizing every detail and making you feel incompetent.

Another example would be if you struggle to get answers from your superiors because there are no healthy communication channels open. Lack of communication and transparency is not only confusing but it can also be disorienting. Imagine constantly feeling like you're in the dark about important decisions or changes within the company. This lack of clarity can leave you feeling like you’re walking on eggshells, unsure of where you stand or what’s expected of you.

Toxic Workplace Checklist

This toxic workplace checklist highlights the most common toxic work environment signs to look out for:

• A blame-heavy threatening environment where employees feel like they’re walking on eggshells.
• A lack of trust among employees, which can cause cliquey behavior.
• Lack of clear communication, trust and transparency.
• Alienating behaviors such as office gossip and bullying.
• Unhealthy work-life boundaries that cause burnout.
• Low motivation and even lower morale due to toxic workplace culture.
• A pervasive culture of negativity.

Effects of a Toxic Work Environment on an Employee

If you’re wondering about the effects of a toxic work environment to an employee, the following is a list of potential consequences.

1. Being Constantly Ill

In the corporate world, so much focus is on your mind. But it’s your body that absorbs the psychological tension you experience in a toxic work environment. Because you don’t feel safe, your fight or flight response is constantly activated, keeping your sympathetic nervous system turned on.

Symptoms of this include a racing pulse and feeling anxious and agitated and you may even observe that you’re constantly in reaction mode, waiting for the next undermining comment from your boss or colleagues. These are all natural reactions to stress, but constant exposure to it can do a number on your immune system, which is why employees in a toxic work environment tend to get sick more frequently.

2. Lack of Sleep

If, at bedtime, you can’t stop thinking about the day and are constantly tossing and turning, replaying different scenarios in your head, then you are in a toxic work environment. For some, the terror continues even after sleep. You might experience stress dreams and waking up in the middle of the night, leaving you feeling exhausted the next day. Sleep deprivation can also lead to brain fog, slow down your mental processing and make you less resilient, psychologically speaking.

3. Dissociating and Self-soothing

Being in a toxic work environment can really wear you down because you’re dealing with negativity all day. In a bid to keep you safe, your brain will try and redirect you towards more pleasurable pursuits. This is why many will self-medicate to try and feel better at the end of the day or even during work.

Some use food, substances, screen time and shopping. These are all subconscious efforts to self-soothe and disassociate from what is happening. However, these coping mechanisms will not increase your baseline happiness, or your sense of safety or have any lasting effect on your wellness. In fact, many of the ways that people self-medicate are often harmful to their health, self and bank account.

4. A Sense of Misery

If you have to hype yourself up to get up for work every day, you’re anxious and on edge at work, or you come home stressed at the end of the day, you’re in a toxic work environment. Perhaps you’re even finding it hard to leave your toxic job at the door or dissociate with Netflix.

Being this miserable can have profound effects on your life. You might start to socialize less because you’re too tired and/or annoyed. You might also withdraw from your friends or complain so much that you realize they’re withdrawing from you. Everyone has the Sunday scaries from time to time but the sense of dread described here is not normal. It’s a surefire sign that the negativity you experience at work is really getting to you.

5. You Don’t Recognize Yourself

You used to be confident, proactive and social at work. But now, recognition and even basic validation that you’re doing an okay job is absent and extremely inconsistent. You’ve received so much unfair criticism that you’ve started to doubt yourself and your work. You don’t ask for help when you’re overwhelmed but overcompensate by overworking and overachieving instead. If this sounds like you, it may be time to have a conversation with your supervisor or HR.

6. Feelings of Isolation

When you’re in a toxic job, you feel like you’re on your own. You were probably expected to onboard yourself and figure out how to do your job on your own while your boss micromanages you. When you ask for help, not only is that support denied but you’re shamed for not being able to figure it out on your own.

This isolation can be extreme and involve triangulation where a manager pits you against your coworkers. You may also feel isolated because no one seems to be experiencing the workplace toxicity as you are. While your friends and family may acknowledge it’s bad, they don’t really understand how bad it truly is.

7. Hypervigilance 

You’re always one step ahead at work. To control your micromanaging boss, you learn to be proactive, overcommunicate and be prepared for every meeting and conversation to avoid being blown up at, embarrassed or picked apart. You learn to anticipate needs and accommodate them before you’re asked. This hypervigilance keeps you in a stress response, panicking and trying to anticipate the future.

8. Feeling Gaslit

One of the most unfortunate aspects of being in a toxic work environment is that some of your co-workers might not perceive the company you’re working for as toxic, even if they’re targeted by the same behaviors that you are. This can lead to feeling gaslit as you question if what you’re going through is real or if you’re just imagining things.

How Do You Handle a Toxic Working Environment?

Learning how to protect yourself in a toxic work environment is becoming increasingly important as workplace stress and burnout continue to rise. 

How To Protect Yourself in a Toxic Work Environment

More and more people are demanding a work-life balance as part of a consideration for taking a new job and that’s something you should take into account. Remember, you can’t get those hours back or the memories lost from not spending quality time with your loved ones.

Take care of yourself first by setting clear boundaries. Whether it’s taking your lunch break, avoiding early starts or late stays, not working on weekends, or not responding to emails at all hours — sticking to these boundaries can help protect your time and mental health.

That old adage of “controlling the things you can” can really help alleviate some of the strain that comes with being in a toxic work environment. It can be as simple as personalizing your workspace with decorations that bring you joy and comfort. Hang calming posters, display photos of loved ones and incorporate uplifting quotes on sticky notes and/or posters. These items can serve as a reminder that your job is just one part of your life, and there’s happiness beyond the office walls.

Another way to prevent workplace negativity from spilling over into your personal life is by coming up with different ways to shift to a more positive mindset before leaving the office. If working from home, set clear boundaries on your work hours and ensure you have time to unwind. And when work thoughts creep in after hours, find activities that help you relax and refocus your attention.

If you witness or experience inappropriate behavior, report it to senior leadership or HR. Even if the actions taken aren’t what you hoped for, reporting bad behavior is the right step toward creating a more accountable and respectful workplace. It can also make you feel more empowered and supported. Additionally, take advantage of work perks that promote well-being, such as access to mental health resources or flexible work arrangements. 

Breaking Free from a toxic work environment

If you find yourself searching online for tips on how to survive in a cutthroat work environment, there’s a good chance you’re in a toxic work environment. But, you’re not alone. In one survey, over 20% of employees reported that their mental health was negatively impacted in the workplace last year.

Getting support, setting boundaries and taking back your agency is crucial when you’re in a toxic work environment. And your willingness to speak up can be a powerful catalyst for positive change.

For ideas on how to make the workplace great, check out team building experiences on Classpop!