There are some employers out there who couldn’t care less about what their employees have to endure. They aren’t interested in creating a harmonious work environment. In fact, some of them create a toxic and hostile work environment. Not only is this short-sighted, but it may also be illegal depending on what they are actually doing at work.
You may end up needing a lawyer to help you if there are some egregious violations at work. However, before you go out and hire a Las Vegas lawyer for work-related issues, you may be able to turn the situation around. In this article, we will go over the ways to get through working in a hostile workplace.
1 – Get organized
There is power in groups so instead of trying to solve the problem of a toxic work culture you need to find some allies. If the situation is truly hostile then you are not likely to be the only one that is feeling the heat. You should seek out others that are also feeling like something needs to be done to turn things around.
Try to get a group together and figure out a way to make some changes happen. It isn’t enough to simply commiserate on the grievances that you are justified to have. You also need to have an actionable plan.
Get together and brainstorm some ideas so you can seek some solutions that you can present to your HR department. You may need to single people out as being part of the problem and see if there is some kind of mediation possible to get them to change their ways or be fired.
2 – Keep detailed records
Whether you plan to go to your HR department with a complaint or seek out some legal advice, you will need to present some damning evidence of what is happening at work. This means that you have to have detailed documentation of the things that have been contributing to the hostile workplace.
Whenever there is an incident that demonstrates how toxic the environment is, make sure to make a record of it. Include witnesses to the records as well so your version of the story can be corroborated.
Keep copies of any emails and SMS messages that show the bullying or other violations that are occurring. Anything that seems like it would be relevant should be kept so it can be presented later on.
3 – Find the source
There may not be an overall culture of toxicity at your job, but it is the result of one or a few people who have taken things too far. Sometimes it’s in the name of increasing productivity and they think they have to crack the whip to achieve it.
Try to figure out if the problem could be solved by one or a few people leaving the company or being transferred to another division in the company. If this is the case then you may be able to take care of the problem with a persistent and dedicated effort through the HR department to do something about the specific problem.
