Dealing With Toxic Coworkers and Management, YES we said Management!

Have you ever dealt with a coworker or worse management who was toxic with a lack of self-awareness of how their actions impact, culture, productivity, and efficient functioning of the work? That person that as much as you try, would be under your skin so much it crossed into the bounds of being worth losing a job over? Let’s talk about those and how to handle them.

No one wants to get to this breaking point at work. But the reality is, personalities clash and not everyone gets along well even (or sometimes, especially) in the office. So, if you do find yourself dealing with toxic coworkers, here are a few ways to protect your well-being at work and get your job done in the meantime!

Before we dive into how to deal with such spaces and people, ensure to put in place an ESCAPE Plan to get you out of there, especially if dealing with toxic management. Here are a few things to have on your plan:

· Update your resume!

· Update your job board profiles and make them public to recruiters.

· If you leave before securing a new job, have at least 3 to 6 months of calculated expenses in your emergency account.

· Take additional online training if needed.

· Inform your support team of your intentions.

· Network!

· Give yourself the grace to look and find the right fit for you!

How to Protect Your Peace and Keep the Peace at Work

1. Choose your battles wisely.

Every time your trouble-maker coworker does something, it might not always be wise to react to the behavior, especially when it pulls you away from work.

So as they used to say back in the 2010s, “keep calm and carry on,” and try your best to always take on a strategic, calm approach to the matter. And work on discerning what’s worth letting go or not.

2. Hang on to your receipts.

Whenever your coworker does something to harass or upset you, write it down and maintain a record of every interaction. You never know when your documentation could come in handy, and in any case, having evidence will make it harder for them to deny their behavior.

3. Take care of your emotional well-being.

While at work, we can’t always manage what our coworkers do. But we can manage the way we respond to certain situations.

Your stress response might be affecting you at work without you even realizing it, so be sure to monitor your emotional state, and when you feel overwhelmed, take a break and give yourself a moment to recharge.

Want more tips for managing your mental health at work?

Check out our latest blog posts here: https://www.sim-int.org/blog/categories/professional-development