Surviving a toxic workplace

We've previously outlined some signs of a toxic workplace. Do you recognise any of them?

As previously stated, a toxic work environment is bad for everyone. However, concerns over workplace toxicity are often brushed off with "that's the culture here", "it doesn't impact the company's bottom line", or "it's what separates the chaff from the wheat".

Well, it's acknowledged that toxic workplaces damage people. More and more companies are recognising that a toxic work environment is ultimately bad for businesses and their employees. From the many books published about workplace health and how to deal with toxic environments and people, it's a hot topic, especially after changes in how people work have emerged in the wake of the pandemic.

If yours is a toxic workplace and you have no means of leaving it yet, don't fret. There are ways you can protect yourself from toxic people and minimise exposure to them.

• If you can't get toxic people at work to move to a new office or another branch a few kilometres away, perhaps you can move instead, or make arrangements to work from home once of twice a week. Also, get to know their schedules so that you won't be in the same vicinity as them. When it comes to the toxic, absence makes the heart grow not fonder, but calmer and healthier.
• At times, contact with toxic people is unavoidable, such as in meetings. When that happens, keep a bit of distance between you and your tormentors. Give yourself a little time before responding to nasty e-mails or text messages; resist the urge to shoot back immediately. And try to meet with them as rarely as you can.
• Are you the type who fades into the background in a charged and stressful work environment? That ability help you evade jerks looking for easy marks. Quit doing anything that will single you out for bullying or harassment. Sometimes, it's better to maintain a low profile – another perk of being a wallflower.
• Try to find an understanding boss or immediate superior to help shield you from terrible people at work – often, they'll be much better at it than you. You and some colleagues can establish a sort of rotation system so that everyone gets exposed to the same amount of unpleasantness, whether in the form of people or tasks.
• Find a safe zone to hide and recover from the latest barrage of insults, and prepare for the next. This zone should preferably be a place your tormentors aren't allowed to go or are not likely to find you. Choose somewhere nearby so that you won't be accused of ponteng kerja when you duck out for some peace.
• Set up an early-warning system with your beleagured colleagues, or tap into an existing one. This will help everyone prepare for incoming jerks by steering clear of behaviours that draw their attention or set them off, or be a signal to duck for cover. Consider stealthy phone calls, emails, text messages or social media posts to signal everyone.

All this might sound oddly cloak-and-dagger, but handling yourself in a toxic environment is one way of taking control where you might otherwise have none. Power differentials may not allow you to confront or diminish the toxic behaviours of others, but you can control how you react to them.

The tips above are drawn from The Asshole Survival Guide by Robert I. Sutton. See more tips, examples and cautionary tales of toxic people in the book.

Note that in some cultures and societies, the tips and advice given in some self-help books may not be suitable or may even backfire. Know your company culture and what it demands before using the tips in such books.