Let’s face it — things at work aren’t great. Maybe your colleagues — or boss — are beyond unprofessional or perhaps you’re expected to work so much, you feel like you can’t have a personal life.
No matter what the situation, you’re not happy, but you’re not ready to give up on your job just yet. Here’s some advice to help you keep your chin up and thrive, despite the challenges of working for a company with a poor culture.
Five Tips to Stay Positive in a Toxic Work Environment
Surround Yourself With Positive People
It might feel like all of your co-workers are horrible people, but there are likely a few good ones in the bunch. Find these people and stick by them. Having a couple of genuinely good colleagues to lean on will make life at work much more bearable.
Don’t Gossip
When everyone around you is constantly gossiping, it can be hard not to join in. However, nothing good comes from talking about your colleagues behind their backs. Steer clear of the water cooler and change the subject if someone tries to catch you up on the rumor mill.
Set Goals and Stay Focused
When you’re not happy at work, it’s easy to get caught up in your own misery. Of course, this won’t accomplish anything but make you even more miserable. Instead, set goals on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. This will help distract you from your chaotic work environment while motivating you to give your best each day.
Create Boundaries
If a big part of your unhappiness stems from lacking a work-life balance, it’s time to push back. Set clear start and end times each workday, and let your co-workers know you’re unwilling to spend every night on call. Of course, there are always exceptions — i.e., when the deadline for a big project is looming — but setting general ground rules will allow you to safeguard your personal time.
Know Your Limits
It’s possible that nothing can make your company’s toxic work environment bearable. If you try your best and are still unhappy, it might be time to move on. You spend a lot of your life at work, so you need to be part of a team you actually enjoy. Cutting ties might be hard — or maybe not — but you need to do what’s best for you.
Want to find a new job with a positive work environment? Wood Staffing wants to help you find a career opportunity at a Northern Indiana/Southwestern Michigan company that’s truly a great place to work. Contact us today to get started!
