5 Signs You Are in a Hostile Work Environment

While you may not be overjoyed to arrive at work every single day, you should not feel actively afraid or anxious about clocking in. Toxic workplaces are the most common reason for US workers to leave their jobs in search of something new.

Do any of the following signs sound familiar to you? They could be red flags that you are in a hostile work environment. Rossman Law Group’s team of employment attorneys is here to help you advocate for yourself in a workplace that dismisses or belittles you.

Frequent Public Shaming

When you or your colleagues make minor mistakes on the job, does your boss loudly berate you for your errors? Performance concerns should be discussed privately between supervisors and subordinates, not dragged out into the office for everyone to hear.

Squashed Advancement Opportunities

If you are fully qualified and ready for a promotion within the company, your boss should be happy to help you move upward. However, if they’re giving you unfair performance reviews or unreasonable disciplinary actions to muddy your record, they may be trying to hold you back to secure advancement for themselves. Tell your story to an employment law expert if you’re unsure of the legality of your boss’s actions.

Inconsistent Pay

Have you or your colleagues ever been told that the company isn’t making enough money to issue your next paycheck? Are you frequently expected to put in overtime hours with no expectation of overtime pay? Both of these scenarios play fast and loose with the law, and a wage claim attorney can help you decide which actions to take.

Patterns of Harassment

The state of Idaho forbids discrimination and harassment based on race, age, gender, national origin, religion, and disability status. If you are on the receiving end of sexual harassment, racial slurs, or exclusion based on disability, you are in a textbook hostile work environment.

Unhealthy Competition and Backstabbing

A little bit of competitive spirit can be a good thing in the workplace; informal productivity contests with prizes, for example, can boost morale. But what if you and your colleagues are pitted against each other and encouraged to tear one another down in order to advance in the company? That level of ruthlessness creates a hostile environment at work and shouldn’t be tolerated.

If the prospect of going to work every day sets your nerves on edge, you may be dealing with a hostile work environment. The signs discussed above push your workplace from simply toxic to actively harmful, and consulting with an employment attorney can help you and your colleagues remedy the environment.