Why Good People Stay In Toxic Workplaces.

The pandemic has brought a working revolution one in which workers question everything.  The big question many ask is “ If I am going to die tomorrow why am I working in a hostile environment?”

“Will I continue?”

The answer for many was and is no. People are demonstrating that it is time to change. The request for change was and is a demand, an outcry which was and is a political, social and economic struggle which is a worldwide response.

Work and the way we work are changing.

Here I digress let me get back to the why.

There are many reasons that people stay and many are practical.

The one that might be the main answer is the one we are silent about “ trauma”.

Yes, you read correctly and this trauma may be yours or even the trauma passed down from generation to generation We have what we call ” collective trauma” and this we all experience. The pandemic is an example of this collective trauma and the impact of a global worldwide event.

Trauma is often hard to face, accept and break.

When we come from an upbringing of trauma we are conditioned to tolerate more than the average person. This is a trauma response to survival.

The toxic workplaces that many people find themselves in are often not toxic to the outside. Like every abusive relationship, this is the hard part.

We might choose to stay because we are frozen and get caught up in the struggle to survive working longer, harder and fawning. We might find ourselves unable to speak up and out.

There are so many reasons why good people stay and the biggest reason is that they are good people and they value work and ethics and loyalty. What happens to these good people when they continue to work in hostile, toxic workplaces you might ask? I believe they slowly die and the death is not just a physical death it is an emotional, spiritual and psychological death.

Toxic workplaces are psychologically damaging so much that we have many working and walking around with ” work PTSD”.

Let’s be the Change!

If this resonates I ask you to ask yourself the following:

“Are you happy at work? Do you feel safe, and supported and are you able to speak out when you need to address concerns? Are you able to do your job in a way that works for you? Do your superiors support you by offering mentorships and guidance as well as positive, constructive and collaborative feedback?

Most of us spend the majority of our time at work and work-life balance is critical. Do you think it is time to walk away? If you do feel you need to leave fear not because the world and the way we work are changing and as a result, we are too!

Now is the time for a change.

Let’s change the way we work! 

Freeing yourself from a toxic work environment might extend your life and not because of a worldwide virus.

The real virus is abuse.

We can heal and we can move on to rewarding and healthy workplaces.

May this be of benefit dear friends

Blessing for the New Year!

Renee