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Toxic Workplaces: When Is Enough Enough?

dev.to staff on May 11, 2024

Can a toxic culture be turned around, or is it time to jump ship? Share your experiences dealing with challenging workplace vibes and how you navig...
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Paulo Henrique

When your health starts deteriorating. When your friends start noticing changes in you (physical, mental, social). When instead of thinking "Let's do cool s**t today!" in the morning you start to think "Jesus, do I need to get out of my bed?"

toxic culture can't change because most of the time it comes from the top. If you are not the owner, they can just replace you.

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Neurabot • Edited

It's not easy. You are frustrated. I do not face it in workplace indeed, but i can easily imagine it accordingly to my own life-experiences. To overcome this challenge, you must be courageous to leave that place. Several people are afraid to do it so, referently to individual personalities. Individual talent dies so. When working, employee must uphold personal development and self-awareness. Very important, I ensure you.

You evoke a crucial problem in African workplace where productivity is low because of evil mindsets. Cool

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Anna Villarreal

When you take a job without fully understanding the culture and thinking of the employees/owners especially a smaller business, its really like diving in blind. It could be the perfect job. But if you are so different in your beliefs and thought processes, it will ultimately lead you to becoming something your not, or being uncomfortable everyday at work. Can you align yourself to work in that kind of environment or jump ship and stay true to yourself? If you are fish, swim. If you are bird, fly. Try to find the environment that is closest to your nature, (easier said than done) and you will feel at home. Change what you can, accept what you cannot, know the difference, and move forward based on that knowledge.

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Neurabot • Edited

Sure. When you say accept what you can't. What ?

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Ben Link

For me, it was about two things:

1) Can I influence this enough to change it? (some places are irredeemable but others just need a good example)

2) Do I want to do that work? (cost/benefit analysis: am I going to get out of it enough to make up for what I have to put into it)

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Micro Pc Tech Inc

"In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity." - Sun Tzu

Identify the root causes, foster open dialogue, and lead by example to turn around a toxic culture. Seek support, prioritize your well-being, and consider exploring new opportunities if efforts fail. Remember, every challenge presents a chance for growth and positive change.

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Neurabot

Sure.

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gokayburuc.dev

The issue that leaves everyone in fear (eating, drinking, shelter, heating, etc.) is basic needs. And the fear of losing them paralyzes people. After these are met in the first stage, people start to look at social needs.

At the end of the day, if someone treats you badly for money, you'll find yourself stuck at the train door with one foot in and one out. These are the situations in which people suffer the most.

In the planning phase, social contributions of the work should also be taken into account in addition to its financial contributions. As the years pass, things that are forced upon you under the name of obligation to take care of your house, send your children to college, renew your car, and so on, turn into a vortex that sucks your soul after a while.

At this point you find yourself questioning your value judgments. I am a Muslim and one of our religious elders, Hazrat Omar, has a saying: "If you don't live as you believe, you will start to believe what you live!" Thus, you find yourself believing that working life is like this and that no other life is possible. The enough point is the starting point of a life that conflicts with the values ​​you believe in.

No matter what your boss tells you, no matter what your wife or husband tells you, no matter what your children tell you, in a life for which you will be responsible, do not be around people who have values ​​you do not believe in. Don't waste your time trying to make rich people with values ​​you don't believe in by compromising yourself.

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Neurabot

Sure.

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Mike Stemle

Immediately. Whenever you find yourself at a workplace that is toxic, take care of yourself first. If you feel like you can, also consider raising the topic of organizing a union with your fellow workers.

Organizing a union in your workplace is the one and only way to solve this problem. That said, if you don’t think you can prevail or you don’t want to put up with the abuse, you should probably leave as soon as you’ve judged that there is no hope.

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Jason

Grass isn't always greener mind you. Depends how big the company is. if it's large enough probably a good idea to try to switch teams first. Important to note here also, don't do anything rash and make sure you have something else lined up if you do jump ship. Don't just jump and hope a lifeboat comes. I have heard it's tough out there interviewing right now.

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Jason

I think so .