Coping With Workplace Hostility: Signs You Need Alternative Employment
The signs of workplace hostility vary – but they all have one thing in common – they infringe on your worker’s rights. They hence should be reported to the company’s human resources (HR) department or state labor authorities.
A hostile work environment is an environment where there is constant rejection or discrimination against you due to your race, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Other types of hostility may be favoritism from your boss and head staff.
Prolonged hostility in the workplace may affect your ability to complete your tasks successfully and productively. Actions such as favoritism may stunt your growth in the company and ultimately leave you feeling like you are stagnant.
Feeling trapped and stagnant in a job will drive you to seek alternative income sources.
Here are five signs that you need alternative employment.
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Verbal And Non-Verbal Harassment
If you are a victim of name-calling, jokes being made about you, and other non-verbal acts such as gossip, and unsolicited notes left at your desk – then you are in a toxic work environment.
To deal with this, first, you need to confront your aggressor/s and let them know that you don’t appreciate their remarks and ask them to stop immediately. If the first step fails, you may proceed to lay a misconduct complaint against your aggressor with your company’s HR department.
Suppose you are unsatisfied with the HR department’s handling of your case. In that case, you may proceed to contact an external expert to assist you in the matter – lawyers in Baltimore will assist you in building a case and represent you in court.
Discrimination
Discrimination is strictly prohibited in the workplace – the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a federal body that protects workers from being harassed or rejected because of their race, gender, or pregnancy.
If you have experienced such behavior, you may lay a complaint with the EEOC and start seeking alternative employment.
Favoritism
Favoritism by your boss or senior staff members can severely hinder morale and workplace productivity – it also creates an unhealthy level of competition between lower-level employees.
Favoritism creates an unfair workplace environment where some staff members can grow in the company while others remain stagnant.
Unsafe workplace
Working in a hazardous workplace environment negatively affects your productivity as an employee. The constant fear of getting injured or ill due to your workplace conditions will hinder you from focusing on your tasks and may even lead to you being fired due to low production output.
By law, your employer is required to ensure that they provide a safe, non-hazardous and non-toxic workplace environment. If you happen to feel that your employer hasn’t done that and has no intention of doing so, you should start seeking alternative employment.
Gaslighting
Gaslighting is a manipulative tactic that some employers and senior staff members use to undermine your reality by denying facts and rejecting your complaints about the workplace. This act is a form of harassment and should be reported to the EEOC.
Coping in a toxic work environment is not easy. Consistent harassment and discrimination by your boss or colleagues may lead to you developing mental health issues like stress, anxiety, and depression.
The best way to safely move forward when you have been a victim of hostility in the workplace is to look for alternative income streams and then resign.
