Recognizing a hostile workplace isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if your job is truly harmful or just more challenging than you’d like it to be. There are plenty of people who find their job stressful, but that doesn’t automatically make the workplace hostile.
The real issue arises when the people around, or above, you
create a toxic environment.
That’s when things cross the line. Knowing whether this has happened in your place of work is important for your mental and physical health. And it’s the first step in deciding what you can do next.
In this article, we give you a guide on how to know if you’re in a hostile workplace - and what you can do about it. And if you decide that you're dealing with serious workplace abuse, it can be a good idea to consider seeking legal help. An example would be to
contact the EEOC for support.
1 – Encountering Bullying, Discrimination or Harassment
Bullying in the workplace is repeated, harmful behavior directed at an individual or group, and can include actions like verbal abuse, intimidation or even humiliation. Needless to say, it creates an unhealthy atmosphere, undermining people’s well-being and job performance.
Discrimination or harassment is based on personal characteristics like race, gender, age or sexual orientation. If you or your colleagues are being treated unfairly or are subject to offensive comments or actions, it needs to stop. It doesn’t just violate workplace ethics but may actually be illegal.
These behaviors can show up in many forms. Your boss may constantly put you down, coworkers may spread rumors or gossip, or you may be treated unfairly with excessive allocation of work or responsibilities. And when this kind of behavior comes from people around you, especially from leadership, it creates a climate of fear and hostility. You’ll develop feelings of anxiety or depression; you may even dread going to work. This kind of stress can wear you down, making it hard to stay motivated and productive.
But if this is the case for you, you don’t have to quit! You shouldn’t over-react (a couple of incidents aren’t evidence of a pattern of behavior). But if it persists, you should document such incidents so that once you’ve got a few together, you can report them to human resources or even seek external legal advice if that doesn’t get you anywhere.
Discrimination or harassment is based on personal characteristics like race, gender, age or sexual orientation. If you or your colleagues are being treated unfairly or are subject to offensive comments or actions, it needs to stop. It doesn’t just violate workplace ethics but may actually be illegal.
These behaviors can show up in many forms. Your boss may constantly put you down, coworkers may spread rumors or gossip, or you may be treated unfairly with excessive allocation of work or responsibilities. And when this kind of behavior comes from people around you, especially from leadership, it creates a climate of fear and hostility. You’ll develop feelings of anxiety or depression; you may even dread going to work. This kind of stress can wear you down, making it hard to stay motivated and productive.
But if this is the case for you, you don’t have to quit! You shouldn’t over-react (a couple of incidents aren’t evidence of a pattern of behavior). But if it persists, you should document such incidents so that once you’ve got a few together, you can report them to human resources or even seek external legal advice if that doesn’t get you anywhere.
2 - Being Micromanaged
Micromanagement is when your manager excessively controls every aspect of your work. They will monitor your every move, maybe picking up on even small details, and won’t give you much of a say in how your work is done. You’ll probably feel suffocated, powerless and, frankly, undervalued.
This lack of autonomy is bound to
stifle your creativity and control, leading to frustration and, eventually, burnout. So if this is happening to you and you, you’re probably being micromanaged!
If you’re in a situation like this, it’s important to speak up before it takes a toll on your mental health. Try having an open conversation with your manager about how this constant pressure is affecting your work. Say that you need more autonomy. Mention your record of consistently delivering quality work on time. You should ask for regular feedback to build trust so you can gradually request more responsibility. If the micromanagement continues, and you feel you’re working well, it may simply be that your boss is a poor manager, so the answer may be to move to another department, or maybe another company altogether…
3 – Seeing Unhealthy Competition And Favoritism
Unhealthy competition at work happens when people are pushed to compete against each other in ways that create tension and ruin relationships. We’re not talking about healthy competition here. Look at any successful sales department and you’ll se plenty of that! This is more about a failure to work together as a team; where people feel they need to outdo their colleagues; basically, where the emphasis moves towards individual achievements, often at the expense of others.
This leads to a stressful, often cutthroat environment.
You might even notice that some people are regularly given the best opportunities, promotions, or resources, while others are left out.
If you’re dealing with unhealthy competition and/or favoritism, it’s important to take steps to protect yourself by keeping track of any instances where you notice favoritism or unfair treatment. A careful conversation with your boss is often the easiest path to take, however stressed you may feel at the prospect. It’s important to do your best here, because it’s a matter of addressing the team culture, and complaining to Human Resources is likely to create a negative reaction in your department.
4 – Experiencing Persistent Negative Interactions
This is one of the most telling signs of a hostile workplace. It includes frequent arguments, passive-aggressive behavior, or even outright hostility between colleagues. It can even occur with conflict between employees and management.
If this is the case, you’ll find yourself constantly walking on eggshells, in anticipation of the next confrontation. Needless to say, it’s a clear sign that the environment is unhealthy. And over time, these negative interactions can erode trust and teamwork, making it really difficult to feel safe or supported at work.
The important point to remember is to stay out of it! Keep composed at all times. If you’re calm and professional, people will feel they can’t involve you, so you’ll actually help to diffuse tension. Others may actually follow your example!
If you want to take a more proactive stance, and if you feel safe doing so, you can try to address the issue directly with the person or people involved. Use "I" statements to express how their behavior affects you, instead of accusing or blaming them. For example, you could say "I feel uncomfortable when people are arguing in the office."
As a final resort – as in almost all our cases – you could keep a detailed record of each negative interaction, including dates, times, what was said or done, and any witnesses. If things blow up (as they often do) this documentation will be a central part of resolving the matter.
5 - Facing Unreasonable Expectations
Managers who set unreasonable expectations will often create a hostile environment. They are likely to feel this is central to a policy of “aiming for the stars”, but if people feel they can’t achieve them, they will get frustrated. There may be a regime of unrealistic deadlines, excessive workloads, or sky-high performance targets. Think of a sales manager who tells the team they need to double their sales levels without any guidance on how this will happen.
When employees are constantly under excessive pressure to perform, with little room for error or flexibility, it creates a hectic and, frankly, unsustainable environment. The stress this creates will make people edgy and irritable; they are likely to respond badly to adversity and over-react to small setbacks. Bring on the disputes and personal fall-outs!
This needs to be addressed, and whether you speak directly to your boss, or prepare a group of you to present a joint case, you need to be factual. Prepare the numbers. Why is a project completion of three weeks unreasonable … and what should it be? Why is a return rate of 1% unachievable … and what is a realistic number! You get the point.
Conclusion
If you’re in a hostile workplace and want to make things better, the first step to take is to diagnose what is going wrong. Hopefully the five examples we’ve given will provide some guidance. Maybe you have more than one going on…
Next is to decide what you’re going to do about it. Again, we’ve given some tips, but you must remember that every workplace is different, and you’ll need to gauge your actions with due regard for the response of your colleagues, the character of your boss, or even the culture of the company.
But if all this fails, it may be necessary to start looking for a new job. After all, your well-being should always be a priority, and no job is worth serious compromises in your health and happiness.
Let’s hope you can resolve the issues!
your colleagues, the character of your boss, or even the culture of the company.
But if all this fails, it may be necessary to start looking for a new job. After all, your well-being should always be a priority, and no job is worth serious compromises in your health and happiness.
Let’s hope you can resolve the issues!
