What Are The Characteristics Of A Toxic Work Environment?

In 1986, The Bangles had a hit song entitled, “It’s Just Another Manic Monday.”  If you experience a lot of work stress, then you too have had your share of “manic Mondays.”  A recent study of over 1,000 workers, conducted by the Families And Work Institute, revealed how common work stress has become.  The study found that one in three employees report that they are chronically overworked.  The study also found that, at some point in the last month, 54% of employees were overwhelmed by how much work they had to complete.

 Occasional work stress is normal and will not harm your health.  You experience a workplace challenge that requires you to put in extra hours and work at a high level while juggling multiple priorities in order to meet an important deadline.  After you meet the deadline or deal with the crisis, things get back to normal and the workload returns to a more reasonable level.  You may even receive some sort of recognition or reward for successfully handling the challenge.

 However, in toxic work environments, the work load is constantly excessive and a crisis becomes an everyday occurrence.  You are constantly behind schedule with little hope of things improving.  You begin to feel burnt out because the time pressure and stress is relentless.  You constantly feel tense and your attitude and mood become more and more negative.  Some work environments have a more reasonable work load, but you are required to constantly interact with hostile people, such as coworkers, supervisors or customers. 

 In my research and also based on my personal experience, I have found that most toxic work environments are unlikely to change.  If your workplace is toxic, I encourage you download a free copy of “Tame Your Stress In 7 Days or Less.”  Just put your name and e-mail address in the box located above right.  You will receive instant access to this powerful report and audio.  It is filled with practical, proven strategies that will help you manage stress and enjoy life.