Work
The Ultimate Guide to A Hostile Work Environment in 2020
A hostile work environment can prove to be very toxic for your work and mental health. It is a violation of the law and is also counted as a source of harassment.
At any workplace, if the boss or the manager starts conducting abusive protocols such as discrimination or harassment, it is called a hostile work environment.
This hostile attitude has a significantly negative impact not only at the workplace but also on the victim’s abilities.
Are you wondering if you are working in a hostile environment?
Read ahead to clarify your queries about working in a hostile work environment and what you should be doing about it.
What Does the Hostile Work Environment Mean?
When the co-workers or supervisors start targeting you based on your cast, color, or creed in a discriminatory manner, that’s the first queue to an unsafe or hostile work environment.
This may disrupt your quality of work or hinder your career progress.
Other than this, if this conduct has been long-lasting and pervasive and a reasonable person finds the work environment as verbally abusive, this is also called a hostile work environment.
In this case, the one bullying is conscious of their conduct but continues with their behavior making it uncomfortable for the victim to work freely.
Misconceptions
Many people have the wrong concept of what is a hostile work environment. Sure your boss might have screamed at you or used some hard words when he/she didn’t get the work done right, but that does not count as a hostile work environment.
However, if the boss screams or only humiliates the employees of color and that too constantly, this is counted as a hostile work environment.
It must target a certain protected class. If it doesn’t, then it does not violate the law, and no legal action can be taken against it.
Behavior that makes it hard for you to do a job can be claimed as an act of hostility. However, it must pertain to a certain class, for instance, only the women employees being sexually harassed can be reported.
“Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.”
— William James
What Behaviors Are Considered Criteria for a Hostile Work Environment?
An action, behavior, decision or communication which is discriminatory in nature is a criterion of a hostile work environment.
This could be coming for a vendor, supervisor, co-worker, or any person who works in the same workplace as you. Here are some behaviors which contribute to a toxic environment at work.
- It is discriminatory in nature
According to the law, all employees are protected for color, gender, nationality, religion, and origin.
If there is discrimination against the physically weak or differently-abled, use worker’s compensation or take medical leaves, it counts as a criterion for hostility. This also evokes an unhealthy work environment.
- The act is pervasive in nature
In such cases, a single event has a long-lasting impact on a group of employees, thus creating a hostile environment.
It should not be limited to a single remark which is off-color that you or a co-worker finds annoying. If interventions are needed, these incidents should be reported to HR immediately.
- Severe
Objectively severe work environments create hostility and require legal action. The actions, behaviors, and language need to be so provocative that it disturbs the pace of work, and hurts the worker’s work performance.
Such severe behaviors might become an obstacle in an employee’s progressive work career. This includes the affected employees working under stress, calling in often for sick leave, and completely avoiding the hostile work environment.
The law does not protect isolated incidents, minor teasing, or blunt comments.
- Unwelcoming
The hostile actions being executed by the bully, misconduct, sexual harassment, or un-approved behavior must be unwelcomed by the victim.
There should be solid proof that the victim took a stand and launched a complaint to the HR or the person in authority at the workplace.
This is a fail-safe sign that inappropriate behavior is unacceptable by you, and it was brought into notice.
What Are Some Examples of a Hostile Work Environment?
- Sexual harassment
Your co-worker or boss who talks loudly leans over your desk to speak to you or snaps their gum is counted as an obnoxious and inappropriate behavior.
This, however, does not contribute to a hostile work environment. If that co-worker makes explicit jokes, sends pictures with nudity, or touches you inappropriately, it creates a hostile work environment.
You should report the act of sexual harassment.
- Verbally berating
A supervisor, co-worker, or boss who criticizes you on the basis of gender, religion, age, or race is also responsible for creating a hostile environment.
The comments can be casual, played as a joke or said now and then with a smile is also counted as hostile, and there is no plea for it.
- The problem is not addressed
The in-appropriate conduct gradually becomes pervasive and significant when it completely overtakes the victim’s mind and affects the work.
Still, it is not properly addressed by the HR, and no action is taken against it. The organization is unable to make the misconduct stopped. This is regarded as hostile work environment cases.
- Social media shaming
Hostile attitudes also include using Facebook to set up pages against an employer which are discriminative in nature. Posting inappropriate photos without the permission of a colleague and making negative remarks about it. Sending chats or including chats, which are of explicit nature to a certain employee-only or a group of co-workers.
Humiliation and harassment did online or offline should be dealt with in the same way.
“There are some people who always seem angry and continuously look for conflict. Walk away from these people. The battle they’re are fighting isn’t with you, it’s with themselves.”
— Rashida Rowe
How Do You Prove a Hostile Work Environment?
Firstly, recognize the examples of what makes a work environment hostile. It may be intimidating, abusive and harassing in a certain way.
Gather evidence and preserve any communication you had with HR regarding this abusive behavior.
Show how your issue has been pervasive and threatening to your work progress. Keep your applications filed so that you have evidence that it was approved by top management, but no action was taken.
Dealing with a hostile environment
- Report to HR
The first and foremost step is to report to the HR or the authoritative body at your workplace. Any sort of persistent and offensive retaliation at the workplace is illegal. Your employee must have a chance to investigate and resolve the issue.
Bringing the issue in light of the employer is also important because it can be counted as a solid claim that you were being harassed and that you did get it recorded. This record also shows the frequency and persistence of the problem.
Document your complaints, explicit conversations, and other harassment incidents. Identify the witnesses and save performance reviews, which show the impact a harassment incident had on your work progress.
- Take legal action if HR won’t listen to you
If your HR is not taking action, it is time to report to administrative agencies! Report the hostile work environment to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
If your employer is covered, you can use the EE0C assessment tool to understand which agency you can launch a complaint with.
You can also hire an employment lawyer and file a lawsuit against the co-workers or the boss who has been misconducting.
Fight for the relief you deserve! An employment lawyer can file a lawsuit for you, assist you in gathering the evidence, filing your claim, and getting your legally protected rights.
How Can Leaders Know If Their Company Has a Hostile Work Environment?
The leader of an organization must have clear cut policies on what is acceptable and not acceptable at the workplace.
Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the employer to keep a watch out on every employee as to how they are behaving and feeling at their workplace.
Company leaders must conduct anonymous surveys so that honest answers without any pressure can be received.
Social media monitoring can also be put into action. Many larger companies keep track of their employer’s social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter feeds.
Tools like Sprout Social and Brandwatch have proven effective in keeping the evil away track of what the employees are saying about the co-workers or company they work at.
This is a rather smarter way to make sure employees feel safe and progressive at their workplace.
Final Word
No one deserves to be treated unjustly. It is not your fault if you don’t match up to specific criteria set by a group of people.
You don’t need to be a constant victim of verbal or sexual harassment. Offensive harassment in the workplace is illegal and strict action must be taken against it.
Happiness, job satisfaction, and having a productive mindset is every employee’s right. If you find out that you have been working in a hostile environment, nip it in the bud!
Report and file a lawsuit! Your mental health is important.