Key points

• Toxic work culture is more common than you might think, and there is a fine line between a stressful environment and discrimination. 
• Noticing the signs can help you identify if your workplace is toxic and explore options available to you. 
• Toxic workplace culture can be repaired with kindness.
• There is no shame in exploring other options if progress is not made. 

We spend a big portion of our lives at work, no matter how much we try to keep our work and personal lives separate. So, when your workplace is causing you stress, it can really weigh on you. When work is hard, life feels hard. If you find yourself dreading going to work every morning because your coworkers or your boss are making you uncomfortable, you may be working in a toxic work environment. Fortunately, there are tools at your disposal to make your workplace a more pleasant place to be. Keep reading to see how a little kindness can go a long way. 

What is a toxic work environment? 

Everybody has a bad day every now and then, but toxicity is chronic. While there is no legal definition for a toxic workplace, it’s commonly understood to be a workplace that has a culture of unprofessional behavior like bullying, judgement, micromanagement, belittlement, yelling, and drama. Workplace bullying alone affects roughly 1 in 3 US workers. These unfortunately common behaviors not only get in the way of productivity, but also cause feelings of distrust, high stress levels, and infighting or rivalry among coworkers. Toxic workplaces can escalate to more serious matters of discrimination, which go beyond petty disagreements and become targeted harassment. This behavior should be reported to HR immediately so appropriate action can be taken. 

Signs your workplace culture is toxic

• Daily stress or feelings of dread before work. 
• A fear of asking questions or saying no. This can lead to anxious people-pleasing behaviors like going above and beyond your role, saying yes to everything you are asked to do, and never raising concerns. This can leave you feeling resentful and burnt out. 
• There are no boundaries around work. You may feel pressured to stay late, come in early, or work on the weekend. 
• People don’t trust each other. You may hear a lot of gossip or experience an uncomfortable level of micromanagement or surveillance.
• There’s no room for error. If mistakes are made, there is more focus on punishment than solutions and learning.   
• Turnover is high. You may notice that people don’t stay for more than a year. 

How to repair a toxic workplace

If you’ve made it this far and realized your workplace may be toxic, we have some helpful tips to help you navigate through it. It may seem like the obvious choice would be to leave your job as soon as possible, but that is easier said than done, and may not be a viable option for everyone. Maybe you need to stay for financial or immigration reasons, maybe there are not a lot of jobs available in your industry right now, or maybe your job offers something unique, like remote work or a childcare stipend, that outweighs the negatives. If this is the case, taking action to rectify your experience at work (which can reduce stress and support your mental health), can be a beneficial solution. You never know – your initiative to make a change might actually help heal the workplace. Here are some practical ways you can do it: 

• Set boundaries: If you’re feeling uncomfortable with the lack of boundaries at work, you’re probably not alone. Oftentimes, pressures to work outside of regular working hours are just peer pressure, and not actually enforceable. 

Plus, setting boundaries is actually a form of self-compassion. As author and professor Brené Brown says, “Daring to set boundaries is about the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.”  Start small, taking things one day at a time, and don’t over-explain or give excuses for your schedule. You may find yourself starting a trend with coworkers following your lead. 

• Don’t engage in gossip: Changes in culture start with one person at a time. If someone is telling you some hot gossip about another employee, you can redirect the conversation by saying something kind about that person. This will diffuse the gossip and can help others think twice about what they say about others, reducing the potential for workplace bullying. 
• Set an example by being kind: If you or someone else has made a mistake, be kind. Acknowledge that mistakes happen to all of us, and focus the conversation on solutions rather than blame. This can set a great example of how to handle mistakes in the future, and can even spark a ripple effect of approaching resolutions with kindness throughout the workplace. 
• Spread positivity: Even if it is not reciprocated at first, a few daily acts of kindness and positivity can really change the atmosphere of a workplace. Try giving someone a compliment, leave an encouraging post-it note in the break room, give a high five, and celebrate others at every opportunity. You might end up setting a positive, new normal. Kindness is contagious! 

Are you ready to take the first step in your workplace to set off a ripple effect of kindness? Try committing to one kind act a day, and see how impactful it can be. Take the kindness pledge today and get inspiration for acts of kindness right in your inbox.