HOW TO IDENTIFY TOXIC EMPLOYEES AT WORK

It is always easy to blame others for our unhappiness at work, but to look in the mirror and take accountability for ourselves is another matter. Most of us have worked in toxic environments. We have learned to spot a toxic person from a mile away. Maybe within minutes, we can tell if a work culture is healthy or not. But, have you ever said to yourself, am I a toxic employee? Looking at oneself and identifying toxic behavior is a tough pill to swallow. Taking accountability and responsibility for our actions is not easy. But, if you want to work in a happy, healthy workplace, then we all need to be self-aware and take action.

The definition of toxic is exposure to anything poisonous, harmful, or unhealthy. Toxic behavior is behavior that is harmful to others upon exposure. This behavior can be disguised in two forms, blatant and not so obvious. We all know the blatant toxic behaviors at work. These behaviors are moodiness, being cynical, overly critical, manipulative, demanding, arrogant, and someone whose actions make you feel worse when you walk away. Other toxic behaviors are less subtle but can be just as dangerous. These behaviors may come in the form of slight put-downs, backhanded compliments, gossip, control, refusing to apologize and blaming others, humiliating others, mean spirited jokes, grudge-holding, and taking advantage of others kindness without offering anything in return. Even being silent when witnessing a colleague's poor behavior can contribute to a toxic environment.

Acknowledging our poor behavior is not comfortable. We may even be in denial and possibly rationalize why we act the way we do. But, if one wants to work in a healthy work environment, we need to look honestly at ourselves and acknowledge that some of our actions may be toxic to others. Let's take a closer look at how we can determine if we are toxic.

Ask yourself these questions:

Do I gossip a lot?

Do I put others down?

Am I in a bad mood all the time? Negative? Critical?

Do I get happy when something negative happens to a colleague?

Do peers avoid me? Make excuses to get away from me?

Am I not willing to help others and/or withhold information that could help them?

Do others only tell me what I want to hear?

Do I not speak up for fear of retaliation?

Do I laugh at inappropriate jokes that are insensitive to others?

Do I support bullying behavior by others by feeding their ego, so they don't

turn on me?

Do I witness unacceptable behavior and fail to speak up and or report it?

Am I silent due to fear?

Did you answer yes to any of the questions? Did you identify yourself in any of the blatant and not so blatant behaviors listed above? If so, work on eliminating those behaviors.

Maybe you have been in the dreaded meeting that can be labeled toxic. In meetings, people tend to fit into specific roles. Some of the unhealthy roles are the bully, the employee that knows it all, the gossiper, the person in a state of chronic defense, the person that laughs at others remarks in a snide way (this includes eye-rolling, and nonverbal gestures), the one that feeds the bully ego, and the one that remains quiet due to fear. If you find yourself in any of these roles, then its time for a change.

Acknowledging your behavior is the first step in the change process. Awareness of yourself will help you catch those behaviors before and after they are committed. Begin this process by observing your reaction throughout the day. Pay attention to how you react in situations. Think about healthier ways you can act and react. Begin to incorporate healthy behavior into your routine. For example, if you tend to gossip, stop it.

Don't laugh at someone's snide joke that hurts others. Change is not easy, but persistence in overcoming and eliminating toxic behavior will make you feel better and foster a healthier work environment.