Do you currently work in a toxic workplace? Raise your hand if you have someone in your workplace who has toxic energy.

This is not uncommon. According to a 2019 workplace survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), one in five people who left their jobs cited a toxic culture as their reason for leaving.

Maybe we’ve all been there – having to work with the negative Nellie or the obnoxious Harold type of person whose lack of joy in life brings others down. The hard part is realizing how their toxic energy is negatively impacting you, your self-esteem, self-worth, and your physical well-being.

What is a toxic work environment?

A toxic work environment is a harmful environment that significantly impacts the well-being and productivity of employees. It is characterized by a widespread negative atmosphere, as employees constantly suffer from unhealthy conditions that hinder their professional growth and personal happiness.

This toxic environment is often characterized by a variety of factors including fear, hostility, and chronic stress.

In a toxic workplace, employees may experience a lack of support and encouragement from their bosses and colleagues. Instead of promoting cooperation and teamwork, there is a prevailing feeling of competition and mistrust. This lack of camaraderie leads to a hostile work environment where individuals may resort to manipulation, gossip, and backstabbing tactics to advance their agendas.

It can instill self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and a low sense of self-worth in employees. It can cause fatigue and burnout to occur more quickly and frequently. This type of environment can lead to decreased job satisfaction, decreased productivity, and negative effects on mental and physical health.

Creating a healthy and supportive work environment is critical to enhancing employee engagement, job satisfaction, and overall organizational success. It’s time to think about your workplace and see if it’s time for a change.

Here are 10 signs that you are in a toxic workplace and that it is affecting your health.

1. There is poor communication.

Either there is a lack of communication, or the communication you receive lacks clarity and is full of mixed messages. Or worse, you’re exposed to passive-aggressive communication that pushes all your bad emotion buttons.

2. Coworkers exhibit exclusive behaviors, or an “us versus them” mentality.

Do you remember when you were in high school and the groups you had to endure? This can be a huge motivator for someone. Feeling like you don’t belong, being overlooked, or being talked about behind your back can create a whole host of emotional trauma.

Related: 5 Toxic Marriage Myths That’ll Destroy Your Relationship

3. There is bad leadership.

When leaders focus on profits over people, they don’t truly value employees’ contributions and value. While profits are important, it is the people who turn the wheels of any organization.

If you have a manager who doesn’t care much about your success as part of the team overall, you have a problem.

4. There are unmotivated teams.

When you have people on your team who are only interested in drawing within the lines or aren’t willing to put in the extra effort, it’s usually because they’re exhausted and have had enough. They have nothing left to offer. But it can also be due to a lack of passion, purpose, or internal motivation.

Either way, their lack of motivation is a sign of a much larger organizational problem of disenfranchisement, a general lack of trust, or poor leadership – take your pick.

5. There is a lack of balance throughout the organization.

The saying, “A fish rots from the head down” is true. If you have a senior management team that lacks work-life balance and works 20 hours a day and all weekend, you will often see the rest of the organization following this example.

No one wants to disappoint their boss by not responding, right? They’ll tell you, “It’s just the culture here.” But work culture doesn’t have to be toxic or inclusive to be productive, great, and fun.

6. You feel exhausted and unappreciated

Everyone needs a “nice job!” or “Excellent job!” From time to time. As humans, we thrive on feedback on how to move through the world in a good way.

But if you’re only getting negative feedback or no feedback, it often creates an unconscious motivation to work harder to prove yourself to get the praise you’re looking for. This can become a bad habit of overworking and feeling unappreciated.

Related: 5 Toxic Reasons People End Relationships — Only To Come Crawling Back

7. Exhaustion is the norm.

In today’s hectic world, we are constantly being asked to do our best and do more with less. The pandemic has exacerbated this problem with the Great Resignation, as millions of people realize that there is another way to work and earn a living without killing themselves.

Those left behind are doing twice as much as they did before with little gain or recognition. All of these things wear you down mentally, emotionally, and physically, and eventually lead you to a brick wall when you run out of steam.

8. There are no limits.

A lack of boundaries is a welcome invitation for toxic behavior to occur. It ignores personal space and emotional well-being. Without setting effective boundaries, employees may face constant intrusions, interruptions, and unrealistic expectations that lead to burnout and stress.

It blurs the line between work and personal life, leaving employees feeling exhausted and unable to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

9. There is no trust.

Lack of trust in the workplace is a clear indicator of toxicity because it destroys healthy relationships and collaboration between colleagues. When trust is gone, individuals become cautious and reluctant to share ideas or provide constructive feedback, which hinders effective communication.

Lack of trust also breeds suspicion and undermines teamwork, leading to a toxic cycle of negativity and conflict.

10. There is no support for the upward movement.

A lack of support for upward mobility is a sign of a toxic work environment because it indicates a lack of opportunities for growth and career advancement. Without support, employees may feel stuck in their current roles with limited prospects for promotion or career development.

This can lead to frustration, demotivation, and a feeling of stagnation, which ultimately affects their job satisfaction and morale. In a healthy work environment, supporting upward mobility is critical because it encourages employees to set and achieve career goals, fosters a sense of purpose and engagement, and fosters a culture of continuous learning and development.

If any of these are your experiences at work, you must start to notice the impact your toxic workplace is having on your mind, heart, and well-being. The long-term consequences can be stressful and debilitating if left unchecked.