The demands of a job may weigh on you. However, what if it is more than run-of-the-mill stress? When your workplace breeds negativity, you may feel its toxic effects.
A toxic work environment may adversely affect your physical and mental health. Discover some of the signs that your health issues point to your workplace as the source.
What is a toxic workplace?
A toxic workplace itself is a leading source of stress. It allows difficult and harmful behavior to flourish if it gets results. Hostility and negativity tend to spread and you may see people around you falling into the same patterns. Workers who cannot handle the pressure and tension leave.
What are common examples of toxic behavior?
Control and fear are two devices used to keep you and other workers plugging away. A common factor is a demand that you work longer hours without regard for your personal life. If you speak up and reject the direction, you may face punishment with extra work or verbal lashings. Toxic bosses may use harsh and foul language to humiliate employees into submission.
What can you do about it?
When you start feeling overwhelmed by the hostile environment at work, it may impact your mental health. You may also have physical reactions in the form of digestive issues, exhaustion and headaches. Speaking to a doctor may help pinpoint the job as the source of your medical woes. The medical report may become powerful evidence should you need to seek compensation for your expenses or try and leave the company.
Taking action to keep yourself safe is crucial. Breaking free from a toxic employer may prove difficult, but if it saves your mental or physical health, you should find a way to do it.