14 Tips to Help Survive in a Toxic Work Team

Work plays a very important role in the lives of all of us, and it’s really great when we can work with what we love. But of course the activity to be performed is not the only aspect to be considered.

It is always very important that the company is correct with its employees, that conditions are satisfactory and that colleagues are on our side. After all, working in a group of people we don’t like can be life-ending. At these times, the screams, the moral harassment and the bullying end up becoming part of everyday life, and the only way to end it all is to come to terms.

O awesome.club decided to research a little more about this and found some tricks that can help people working in a toxic team to maintain emotional balance.

We often need to work with unpleasant people, but we don’t always need to be close to them. In general, these people absorb our energy; therefore it is essential to keep a certain distance from them. You can start working at another table and gain some intimacy. The main thing in this case is to eliminate eye contact. Some people manage to put someone between them and the unbearable person, that is, a shield.

If you can’t avoid contact with an annoying colleague, you can always try to cut down on communicating with him. There are many ways to escape: changing work hours, not attending joint meetings, arriving late for some meetings, or leaving early. You can, for example, go to the bathroom when you find it convenient.

The more we communicate with toxic colleagues, the more they affect us. If you cannot escape, then at least it is possible to reduce the intensity and frequency of contacts. A person who literally bombards you with emails and messages will not be surprised by small reductions in contact, as long as this does not go against the company’s rules. You might not respond to all messages right away, for example.

Some people manage to get away with even the most toxic manager. What is their secret? They manage to become invisible. Well, that’s one way of saying it. These people speak little, work normally and don’t stand out. Whenever you’re bothered, you can put on your invisibility cloak, at least until the storm passes.

In any office you can always find at least one secluded place, be it the bathroom, be it the pantry, be it a storage room where you can hide behind a bookcase. Find a good place where you can be alone, to breathe and calm your nerves. This is a true salvation, especially for those who work in stressful environments and with competitive people.

If only one person has an unpleasant character and everyone else suffers because of him, people can create an alert system where the person standing at the entrance warns the others. As soon as the annoying person enters the office, everyone receives a message and has time to mentalize what should be done from that moment on. But, of course, be careful that the messages do not get out of control and reach the annoying person.

Sometimes tragedy can turn into comedy; just think of funny aspects of the situations. When you’re surrounded by villains who only think about pressuring you and complaining, you can start thinking of them with humor. After all, nothing is more ridiculous than seeing an adult behaving like a spoiled child.

Another way to handle a toxic work team is to look at a threat with different eyes. This is easier when it’s not your first job. The important thing is to understand that your boss, no matter how bad, is not the worst person in the world; there are worse people than him.

The support of others is always very important. Even when there are problems on the team, it’s not possible for everyone to be bad. Find your community within the company and learn which colleagues you can trust. Sympathy, understanding and the ability to speak are ways to keep calm.

Courtesy is always a great weapon. It is possible to respond to any negative action with a smile or a kind attitude. You shouldn’t confuse politeness with bad character: courtesy is needed to protect your sanity and get out of a situation, not to let your peers use you. A smile can be a way to put people off.

So that work problems don’t put an end to your personal life, you need to separate professional time from personal time in a rational way and always within the law. A working day begins and ends at the stipulated time (at least it should be so); breaks are important and we don’t need to spend all the time on our cell phones at these times. So, don’t let the company use you and show your bosses that your personal life is important and should be respected.

Another important way to take action is to focus on the things you enjoy. In this way, you can protect yourself and keep your mood under control. To do this, learn some breathing techniques and, if possible, meditation.

It’s unlikely anyone would want to work their whole life in a group of toxic people. Most likely this happens during part of the day, but afterwards it is always essential that the person do other things and always acquire new skills, such as studying a new language or taking some other course.

Everyone, no matter how bad it seems, has something good. If you have to work with a boring person for a while, try to find something good in them. Perhaps she helps animals or works as a volunteer for an NGO. When we find good characteristics in toxic people, we can always handle the routine with more balance.

Jobs and teams can vary wildly, but remember that nothing lasts forever.

Have you ever had to face a difficult situation at work? Share one in the comments.