A hostile workplace is one that is not conducive to the well-being of its employees. It can manifest in a variety of ways, from being overly competitive or having a high turnover rate to a managerial style that is abusive and condescending. This type of environment makes it difficult for employees to perform their jobs well. A hostile workplace can also make it harder for an employee to stay with that company because they will eventually leave if they are not happy with their situation. A hostile work environment does not mean you’re the only one who feels this way about your company; however, everyone who works there likely feels some level of frustration at the management styles, culture, and policies in place at your organization. According to allvoices.com 44% of people have experienced harassment at work. To know if your company has a hostile work environment, check out these six telltale signs:
Everyone Talks About It
If you hear new hires talking about their feelings about their company, their managers, and their co-workers, there is a pretty good chance that there is a serious issue in the works. Employees who are unhappy about their work environment will talk about it, and they will talk about it to other people. If you hear people talking about how miserable they are working at their company, get them to engage you too. This can help you identify if there is an underlying problem before it spreads throughout the rest of the workforce.
People Avoid Work
If you notice that some of your colleagues are quitting or avoiding work, stay late, or cancelling meetings because they don’t feel like going in, they might be experiencing a hostile work environment. This can lead to avoidance as an effort to cope with the stress of the situation. Avoidance can affect a person’s work performance because it takes them out of their normal mindset. Some people avoid work because they don’t want to be around people who make them feel bad about themselves. If the majority of people in your work are doing this, it might be affecting your work environment. If people are avoiding work because they don’t want to be around their coworkers, this is a sign that something is wrong in the company.
People Are In Discomfort At All Times
If your coworkers are either too quiet or too talkative, avoid uncomfortable silences and silence, they might be experiencing a hostile work environment. People can often feel uncomfortable in silence because they don’t know what to say, so they fill the void with noise. If people are avoiding silences in the office and making a lot of noise, they might be experiencing a hostile work environment.
Turnover Is High
If you notice that the people who leave your company tend to do so in high numbers, it could be a sign that your workplace is hostile. When someone is experiencing a hostile work environment, they may leave the company because of this. This can lead to a high turnover rate, which can cause problems for the remaining employees and can also result in the loss of valuable skills and experiences. High turnover is a sign that something is wrong at work. It could be a poor work environment, poor management, or a combination of both. It’s important to figure out why the employees are leaving so that you can fix the problems so that they don’t continue to happen.
There’s A Culture Of Betrayal
If people are gossiping about their coworkers and sharing information that they shouldn’t be, it could be a sign that your company is experiencing a hostile work environment. Gossiping, though seemingly harmless, can be harmful to a company’s culture. At its core, a company is based on trust: employees must trust each other so that they can work well together, which relies on a level of confidentiality that must be maintained. If employees are gossiping about each other, this shows a lack of trust between them and jeopardizes the level of cooperation between them.
Things Are Done In secrecy
If something happens in your company that you don’t want people to know about, it might be because of a hostile work environment. Companies often want to maintain a certain level of secrecy for important business practices, meetings, and decisions. If you notice that your company is keeping things secret, it could be because of a hostile work environment.
Final Thoughts
The best way to know if your workplace has a hostile work environment is to have open communication with your team members. You can start by having one-on-one conversations with colleagues to see if they are experiencing any underlying issues. If talking to them doesn’t address the problem, you can always reach out to your supervisor or HR director and discuss your concerns. If you notice any of these signs in your workplace, it might be time to take some time off and take a look at your management style and culture. If you don’t do anything to correct the hostile work environment, it could cause your company to lose employees and miss out on valuable contributions from those who leave.