“Toxic environment.” While the expression is well known, the concept behind it is not necessarily well understood. Engagés spoke to Marie-Hélène Chèvrefils, founder of Evō conseils, an organization specializing in employee experience, to help nonprofits learn more about toxic environments that can affect workplaces, and what to do when faced with it.
Nonprofits can refer to this fact sheet as a health info sheet to take care of yourself at work.
A toxic environment is a workplace in which one or more conditions significantly affect the atmosphere and well-being of employees. Toxicity can affect a relationship between a few individuals, an entire team or the entire organization.
There is a long list of signs that can indicate a potentially toxic work environment.
Here are the main ones:
Chèvrefils insists on one important point: it’s not the multiplicity of signs that confirms the diagnosis. In other words, the presence of a single sign may suffice to qualify as a toxic environment when the frequency and intensity of the sign speak for themselves.
To ensure that the organization they are interested in does not appear to be affected by a toxic environment, potential candidates can follow these tips:
Find out more about the organization before applying:
The causes that can lead to a diagnosis of a toxic environment are many and varied. Here is a non-exhaustive list:
Employees in a toxic work environment may experience one or more of the following side effects:
In turn, these side-effects have adverse effects on the health and future of the organization, including:
While it’s true that leaders have a big impact on creating and maintaining a healthy, stimulating and positive work environment, employees struggling with a toxic environment can take individual steps to change their situation. Note that these are not steps, but options: it’s up to each individual to choose the one or ones that are right for them.
Many of the factors that contribute to a toxic work environment involve a certain amount of subjectivity in the interpretation of a given situation.
To ensure that your analysis of the situation is as objective as possible, and that you have everything you need to bring it to the attention of others if you so wish, Chèvrefils recommends that you record the events and feelings:
In the context of a toxic environment, daring to say “no” or report problematic situations out loud can seem intimidating. That said, more often than not, the people at the root of these situations aren’t even aware of their involvement in a toxic environment! It’s important to inform them so that they can adjust. Chèvrefils insists, however, on your right, as an employee, not to opt for this measure – or any other for that matter – if you’re not comfortable.
If the toxic climate concerns one or more other employees, you can turn to your manager to inform them of the situation. If the climate relates to the manager himself/herself, the Human Resources department can be consulted. Chèvrefils is encouraging if you opt for this course of action: “The attention you’ll receive and the solutions that will be put in place to clean up the environment may surprise you”.
Keep in mind that employers have a legal responsibility to ensure compliance in the workplace. To this end, they adopt policies setting out the measures to be applied to preserve or re-establish a healthy work climate. Often, these policies also indicate the internal contact person responsible for receiving testimonials or complaints and treating them confidentially. Employees who are aware of their rights and of the measures supposed to be in place in their workplace to comply with the law as a minimum, will be in a better position to document problematic situations, with a view to reporting them if necessary.
You can file a complaint with a union, an ombudsman or an ethics line offering anonymous and confidential service. Depending on the nature of the body chosen, it may analyze the situation reported and decide to take further steps, depending on the diagnosis made.
In Quebec for example, you can turn to the CNESST, since every employer in Quebec has a legal obligation to foster a healthy and safe working environment that protects the physical and psychological integrity of its human resources.
Employee assistance programs, telemedicine services, 24/7 helplines, friends and family… there’s no shortage of ways to find a sympathetic ear to confide in. “We’re not in solution mode here; we’re just asking you to listen and understand, to relieve,” explains Chèvrefils.
Scheduling breaks during the workday, disconnecting at the end of the day and taking vacations are excellent ways to take care of yourself and avoid getting caught up in a toxic environment.
Sometimes, the preferred choice is to quit your job. This is not a defection, but a perfectly valid and common solution for the individual who no longer wishes to navigate a toxic professional environment. After all, the onus for cleaning up the environment lies primarily with the employer, not the employees.
In the meantime, it’s important to maintain your self-confidence and organize your career transition properly: leave the past behind and focus on the future!
The world of work has changed considerably over the last few decades, so that some professional environments once considered normal are now toxic environments. Employees, be careful to spot them and make the right decisions for your well-being and enjoyment at work.
This blog was originally published on Engagés, and translated from french.
