Dealing with a hostile work environment

A work environment becomes hostile when the actions of a superior and/or co-worker(s) negatively affect your job performance. Some of the women who have shared their experiences opted to remain in their respective work environments due to their particular circumstances, which mostly relate to their monthly financial obligations; others don’t seem to bother, whilst others remove themselves from the environment.

Being in a hostile work environment requires you to continuously shield yourself from the negativity that emanates from it.

Dealing with it can begin with four (4) simple steps. Firstly, take a short break outside of the office, even if it means just standing outside the building for a couple minutes.

You can also lock yourself from it by wearing headphones sandrine rattan to listen to some relaxing music (once permissible); take control of your personal work space by maintaining an uncluttered and user-friendly environment.

Enhance your space with a beautiful family photo or even a nice plant! If the negativity becomes extreme, it would be advisable to share these tips of advice to your co-workers who may be like-minded and may also be affected like you are. Using this group approach would assist in developing a strong and united action plan towards improving the environment.

Though organisations may have clearly defined policies for treating with abuse or harassment in the workplace, dealing with a hostile work environment can be more challenging, as an appropriate remedy may not always be easy. Once you recognise that hostility exists, you must quickly identify mechanisms to protect yourself, as your job may ultimately be in jeopardy. At the start of a new job or even one with a lengthy tenure, it is important to familiarise yourself with the company’s policies relating to appropriate behaviour.

Also critical, is to document and maintain in a sequential manner, records of specific events which may require HR and/or legal interventions later on.

It is also useful to approach the offending employee(s) and request that they desist from exhibiting such negative behaviour and/ or communication. If you have difficulty doing it alone, seek assistance from the HR Department, as it is important to notify the employee, that his/her behaviour is offensive, and can’t be tolerated.

Co-existence in a toxic work environment can become fatal, if not harnessed early; therefore, it is imperative that you seek early interventions such as your supervisor/ manager and the HR department once you are affected.

Sandrine Rattan is a communications consultant and president of the International Women’s Resource Network (IWRN). Contact us at (868) 365-7648 or email thecorporatesuitett@gmail.com or intlwomensresourcenetwork@ gmail.com.