Expert shares the red flags that prove your office is toxic

HORRIBLE boss getting you down? Can’t stand your awful co-workers? Here’s how to tell if you should stay or pull the pin.

MOST of us spend more time at work than we do with our friends and family — which is why a toxic workplace can be such a disaster.

Studies have linked unhealthy workplaces to burnout, fatigue, stress and a host of physical and mental issues — but how can you tell if you’re stuck in a truly toxic job, or whether it’s just a temporary low point?

According to Stuart Taylor, who founded The Resilience Institute Australia (now Springfox) in 2003 to help people and organisations boost performance and resilience, there are a number of red flags to watch out for.

The resilience and mental health expert said toxic workplaces were far more common than many realise.

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“Unless our clients are actively working to create a thriving culture where people can bring their values to work, the default is for the workplace to turn toxic,” he said.

“A lot of the telltale signs are very dysfunctional behaviour like bullying, neglect of duty, people feeling uncomfortable in general at work and infighting between senior leaders.

“Other signs are those backhanded water cooler conversations, people going on sick leave, nobody speaking up at meetings so they become a lecture rather than an interaction, and a sense that the innovation has gone, with people at work unengaged.”

According to Mr Taylor, toxic workplaces are ones that value tasks over people and performance over values.

A toxic workplace responds to a worker who fails or slips up with punishment, while a healthy one would consider it an opportunity to learn and improve.

Mr Taylor said one of the biggest causes of a toxic culture was workplaces struggling to cope with rapid change and growth, as well as the example set by the executive level.

“In a toxic workplace, you might look around the organisation and see higher levels of absenteeism, people leaving the organisation, and a general sense of it being a fear-based culture,” he said.

“If you normally go above and beyond, in a toxic culture it’s about keeping your head down so you don’t get it taken off.”

Springfox CEO Stuart Taylor says workers need to decide whether it’s in their best interest to leave an unhealthy job.

The former accounting consultant said working in a toxic workplace could seriously affect your health.

“You can tell when you’re not able to be operating at your best because you’re just putting one foot in front of the other, you struggle to sleep, you’re feeling stressed — and you might think it’s just a short-term problem but before you realise it, it has become the norm,” he said.

“Living and working in a fear-based environment impacts cortisol and stress hormone levels, your immune system and your health and happiness over time.”

If you are unlucky enough to work in a toxic workplace, Mr Taylor said it was important to reflect on whether you were contributing to the problem.

“If you become part of the problem, and you realise your own behaviour has become toxic, that realisation can be a watershed,” he said.

Mr Taylor said employees enduring a toxic workplace should question whether they are able to exert any influence over the situation. If the answer is no, it might be time to walk.

“It might be in your best interest to find another environment where you can thrive,” he said.

Mr Taylor said healthy workplaces don’t happen by accident — instead, they are the result of dedicated efforts and values.

He said the organisations that wanted to turn around their culture needed to lead from the top down, encourage a culture of trust and set strong values.

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