10 obvious signs of a toxic work environment (that few know about)

When a work environment is toxic, precise recurring signals and situations are found that cause unease and discomfort in millions of people worldwide.

WHO estimates that 12 billion working days are lost annually due to an unhealthy work environment, underlining the importance of governments and employers, including mental health in work-related risk prevention guidelines.

Knowing these signals is the first step in developing awareness, resistance, and resilience to adverse effects. Do not underestimate them but talk about them with your loved ones, colleagues, managers, and your company's human resources so that the necessary countermeasures are taken for you and everyone. Discover these signs: click the arrows in the photo to continue reading.

Before seeing the signs of a toxic work environment, it is essential to clarify. There are different "toxicity" degrees, and everything is never completely black. For this reason, it is good to know that reacting right to life's adversities is often crucial to lighten yourself of negative thoughts and their unpleasant consequences. So, how to respond to a toxic environment? Keep reading!

Seek dialogue and diplomacy, and favor the emergence of solutions. Change your point of view on people and situations, and be more compassionate: we are all human beings with our flaws. Breathe and always stay calm under pressure: a more peaceful work environment is less toxic. Don't keep everything inside and go to human resources to solve the problems; even if this requires courage, it is often the beginning of improvement for everyone.

In a toxic work environment, there will always be an above-average absence rate, partly because employees fall ill more easily and partially because any excuse is good for not showing up at work.

Suppose you perceive a lack of respect, perhaps in the form of sarcasm or false irony. In that case, there is likely a lack of care, which makes relationships between people conflicted and prone to deteriorate over time.

When the communication between managers and employees is incorrect, inaccurate, and weak, the outputs will also be poor quality. This generates frustration, a sense of unease and inadequacy, and demotivation.

In a toxic work environment, there is no vision for employees nor the attitude to reward merit. This does not allow companies, nor the people involved, to grow and feel gratified for the efforts made, leaving a deep sense of malaise.

When a boss is a person who does not care about the opinion of his collaborators but rather establishes a climate of threatening fear, people do not dare to discuss decisions, even when they are wrong. The resulting environment is toxic, demotivating, and harmful to work results.

When you don't do what is written in your contract in a company and often change jobs without being clear about what is expected of you, you know you are in a toxic environment in which it is difficult to obtain satisfactory results.

It is one of the most evident signs of a toxic work environment, where sharing joy and enthusiasm is reduced to a minimum, weakened by negative feelings and behaviors.

The stress that results from the excessive workload left on employees' shoulders is the leading cause of absenteeism. Having too many things to do is tiring and demotivating as the quality of work decreases while the sense of dissatisfaction and fear about the consequences of one's negative performance increases.

When people are unhappy in a job, they try hard to change. Unfortunately, this results from a toxic work environment: people run away!

If you sleep poorly and have trouble waking up in the morning, ask yourself if it's your job. If the answer is yes, then these are your body's responses to the prospect of going back to the office.