Is Your Job Toxic? Or Is It Just a Job?

Author: Rachel Montañez

No job is perfect.

This is what we tell ourselves after we’re given a task we hate doing, when our coworkers annoy us, or when a new company policy shakes things up. We remind ourselves to be thankful for what we have. After all, we could be worse off working somewhere else, right?

But the truth is, if you’re relying on this reminder to help you get through the workday, there’s likely something deeper going on. Have your feelings of cynicism and stress at work increased? Can you not even imagine better days ahead? Do you feel disconnected from the person you used to be?

No matter what you’re feeling, it’s important to be able to recognize whether what you’re experiencing is the result of healthy career growth and change or the result of a toxic work environment. This can be especially challenging if you’re early in your career and have less of a guidepost for what a healthy and fulfilling work experience feels like.

So how can you tell if your work environment is toxic or if it’s “just a job”? What are the signs that you’re on the path to a fulfilling career or headed in the wrong direction? Here’s how to figure it out.

1. Evaluate Yourself

Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher, said, “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”

Before you can really know what a healthy work environment feels like, you must first understand what you value at work and what you actually want out of your career. Misalignment between yourself and your work can cause varying levels of emotional distress. If you lack clarity around your preferences, it will be harder to gauge whether your negative feelings toward work are the result of internal factors or external ones. Meanwhile, the stronger your sense of career identity, the easier it will be to attract desirable opportunities and advocates, and the more fulfillment you will experience.

Think of your career identity as a combination of your personality, strengths, values, interests, and definition of success. To help guide you in developing your career identity, ask yourself these questions:

1. Which of my strengths are relevant to my current job or what I’d like to do in the near future?

2. What do I need from an employer to bring my best self to work?

3. What activities or topics make me feel completely absorbed?

4. What’s my definition of meaningful work and success?

It’s important to be aware that during social, economic, and life crises, your interests and values will shift and develop. This is an ongoing process that you should take into account.

Once you reflect on your strengths, values, and interests, don’t stop there. Make an effort to understand the way you typically react emotionally to situations. For example, how do you feel after being assigned a task you dislike? How do you react to annoying coworkers or interactions?

By having awareness of your emotions, you’ll be able to gauge your personal tolerance. For example, emotions like annoyance, dislike, or worry can be normal and may not be a cause for concern—but feelings of resentment and sadness may tell a different story.

2. Evaluate Your Workplace

Once you’ve done some personal reflection, you should have a little more clarity around any negative feelings you have toward work. For instance, if there is a misalignment between your goals and your job, that may very well be the root cause of your negative feelings. If not, you may need to investigate further. That’s where step two comes in.

Consider the list below. How many of these statements resonate with you?

• I have no autonomy to set deadlines, meaningful goals, or processes.

• I don’t see any room for internal mobility, and there is a lack of career resources to support me.

• The best parts of my job are the pay and benefits. They’re the only things keeping me from leaving even though I’ve witnessed some unethical behavior.

• I’m afraid to advocate for what I want and need because I often get brushed aside or ignored.

• I’ve been having headaches, trouble sleeping, and challenges with focus.

• My confidence and self-worth are dwindling.

• People in my close circle have commented on a change in our relationship.

• I’ve been using unhealthy coping outlets to deal with stress.

These are all signs that you may be working in an unhealthy environment. Toxic workplaces not only impact our emotions and well-being at work—they can interrupt every part of our lives. If many of the statements above reflect how you feel frequently, take note.

Alternatively, here are some statements that signal your work environment is healthy and you’re on the right path:

• Time flies by at work, and not in an unproductive, “I didn’t get anything done” way.

• I’m not just recognized by my boss and colleagues; I feel appreciated, too.

• I am committed and willing to go the extra mile, and I can often do so without sacrificing my health and personal relationships.

• I experience belonging, achievement, purpose, creativity, and growth through learning.

• I know who to turn to when I need help with my work or when I have a problem that needs to be addressed.

• I have positive relationships with most of the people I work with, including my boss and peers.

If the above statements resonate with you, you’re likely on a positive path forward at work and in your career. This is a good sign—but remember to check in with yourself frequently to monitor for any changes.

3. Evaluate Your Options

If you do feel that you’re in a toxic work environment, know that you have options.

First, you can address your concerns with your manager. What are some solutions you can bring to the table that are a win-win for you and the business? For instance, if your confidence is dwindling because of a lack of high-quality feedback, be up front about how you’d like to be guided and at what frequency. There may also be room for you to make an internal move to a department that aligns more closely with your goals.

Some people may not feel comfortable approaching their manager. In this case, try finding an ally or a trusted peer you can confide in. Look for people who share your values and who will back you up when you raise cultural concerns that are unique to your organization. There is strength in numbers, and there’s no reason to handle this alone. Once you have enough people on your side, you may also consider going through your organization’s HR department. A widely shared concern will be hard for them to ignore. (For more, see the article “When You’re Thinking of Taking a Problem to HR”.)

Finally, if your work environment is causing you emotional distress even when you’re not at work, try talking to a professional with an outsider’s perspective. This can help you better understand what you’re feeling and discern logical next steps.

In the worst-case scenario, leaving a toxic environment may be your best option, especially if you’ve exhausted the paths above. If the experiences you’ve had have lowered your self-worth, it might be hard to imagine another organization wanting to hire you. But try to remind yourself of what you bring to the table. Maybe you developed an idea at your current job that improved systems, operations, or policies. This shows that you’re analytical, creative, and can turn thoughts into action. Or maybe you contributed to improving the company culture through boosting morale or championing well-being, which shows your high empathy.

On that note, don’t forget to be compassionate and kind to yourself as you go through the process of improving your situation at work. It can be soul-crushing to be in unfavorable surroundings when you’ve worked hard and made sacrifices to be on your path. But remember, there isn’t anything wrong with you. When you’re feeling overwhelming self-doubt, remind yourself that you need to get out of your current situation to see things clearly. Remind yourself that you are worthy of a better opportunity and are more than capable of finding one.

We all deserve to feel appreciated, seen, and heard at work. And yes, that can be a possibility for you.

Rachel Montañez is a trailblazing career expert and international speaker. As a diverse voice, she’s lived and worked in the U.K., South Korea, Japan, and her home base in the United States. Learn more at www.rachelmontanez.com.