How to deal with toxic people at work? – 6 Effective Ways

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Dealing with and handling toxic people at work is not lenient, but these negative people are always harmful and destructive for a company’s growth and productivity. Any teammate, coworker, manager, colleague, boss, or anyone negative, manipulate, act victim and bossy, spread gossip, show enviousness, and have twisted and arrogant behavior is toxic. These toxic people have a huge impact on other workers. Working with toxic people is arduous because it disturbs the whole working environment.

These toxic people are like dirty creatures that contaminate the smooth and eco-friendly working atmosphere. Understanding how to ignore toxic coworkers is crucial because they affect productivity and harm the progress and headway of a company. In the stressful days of today’s life, it is so risky, stressful, and nerve-wracking to deal with toxic people at work.

According to a working paper by Michael Housman, Chief Analytics Officer at Cornerstone OnDemand, and Dylan Minor, a visiting assistant professor at HBS, research was conducted on over 50,000 workers across 11 different firms. They examined the unfavorable behavior of toxic people at work. And concluded that it is more beneficial and impactful to avoid a toxic worker than replacing an average worker at work with a superstar worker. 

Also, Marissa Levin, Founder, and Ceo, Successful culture, narrated a recent Harvard Business school study in Inc. This study found that a superstar performer delivers more than $5,300 in cost savings while avoiding or letting go of a toxic worker brings in about $12,500 in cost savings. 

So, after going through these researches, anyone can easily comprehend how these toxic people at work influence our working efficiency. Be sure of these toxic people at work because they destroy the mood that leads you to success.

“In May 2012, a survey by Career builders reports that nearly 2,700 employers were surveyed. 41% of them estimated that bad hire costs about $25,000, and a quarter estimated that it costs $50,000 or more.“

Toxic people in the workplace are more annoying than anything else in our lives. It is because, in personal life, we can choose with whom we want to connect. We can cut off negative and toxic persons and keep them away from our lives. But this thing is not possible. We have to deal with these toxic people at work without our desire, maybe throughout our careers. Go through some significant traits of toxic people at work to deal with them. 

Signs of toxic people at work

Most people feel irritated and frustrated by working with toxic people and handling them but never realize that they are toxic. Therefore, before knowing how to ignore toxic people at work, know some obvious signs of a toxic person. 

  1. They are always jealous and envious. 
  2. Toxic people are always being defensive.  
  3. They often play the victim card. 
  4. Toxic people never confess their mistakes. 
  5. They have a high ‘ME’ factor in their character. 
  6. Toxic people accuse you of everything and never admit guilt 
  7. They manipulate you and makes you feel bad 
  8. Toxic people attempt to control you 
  9. They consider themselves better than others 

And many more are some obvious traits and signs of a toxic person. Stay aware of them. 

How do toxic people at work affect you? 

Toxic people affect you on a large scale and there are many pieces of research that prove this.

A report was finalized that shows that toxic people at work affect the performance and efficiency of their coworkers. It causes great workers to be 54 percent more likely to quit if they have a negative or toxic teammate.  

Due to the toxic people at work, the following effects can be evaluated in their coworkers. 

  1. Low productivity level 
  2. Increased stress and anxiety  
  3. Getting aggressive frequently 
  4. Thinking to quit job regularly 
  5. Bad attitude with others 
  6. Feels cringe to talk 
  7. Decreased performance rate 
  8. Can’t catch up on the deadline of work 

Pay close attention to your surrounding people and keep yourself aware because these toxic people are great hurdles in a good working environment. 

Do you know that toxic people can affect your mental health and have a negative impact on you? Do you know how to ignore toxic coworkers? The toxicity of these self-absorbed people can drain your energy and impact your performance. So, learn how to deal with toxic people at work to stay calm, active, productive, and efficient. 

Ways to deal with toxic people at work 

It is certainly difficult to handle these mean-spirited and toxic coworkers, but there are several ways you can follow in this regard. 

Are you working with toxic people who make your professional life hell and are always around you? Then, what are you waiting for? If you are sure that you are not interested in those negative and mean people, maintain a healthy distance. If you have to sit with someone toxic at work, try your best to maintain a physical distance. It is understandable that you are at work and cannot choose your place as you wish. But try to find some reason to change your place where you work peacefully and stay calm. You can also disconnect them by showing appropriate body gestures, verbal and non-verbal cues.

For instance, if they came up to you for any gossip about someone or any bad intention, give them a straight and direct reply that you are not interested in. Giving short replies or turning your side when they pass by can also make them feel your intent. It is unethical and awkward, but if you want to know how to ignore toxic people and work properly, you have to do it.  

According to an author, Robert E. Baine. Jr, the less you respond to negative people, the more powerful your life becomes. 

Unless you maintain a remarkable distance from these toxic people at work, they will always be a hindrance on the road to your achievements. In your spare time, find a place where these toxic peoples are not present. 

Know what your limitations and boundaries are. Do not make yourself attached to anyone toxic because it is more difficult to leave them after knowing their reality. Setting your boundaries means not getting too closed and not completely cutting them off. Find out a mid-way that can balance the situation. Maybe you have no curiosity or eagerness for some persons, but you have to engage with them due to your work. It is not like toxic people are not good professionally; they can be highly productive and brilliant workers or managers or even bosses. But their nature is toxic to others.

Therefore, instead of fully blocking them or stopping replying, set healthy boundaries. It can make the situation worse if you completely shut them off. Let them speak, listen to their ideas, and keep your focus at work. If you get succeeded in setting your boundaries and limiting yourself, you can easily deal with toxic people in the workplace. 

You don’t always need to agree because you are working together. Don’t waste your precious consent over such soul-sucking and negative people. This is the best way to ignore toxic people at work and helps you to deal with them. When you keep conceding to them, they start taking up your control. They can make you do extra work, ask you to do something, enhance your stress, put the burden of responsibility on you, and can also negatively use your consent. In the end, you will be the one feeling guilty and embarrassed in front of others.

Therefore, initiate saying ‘NO’ to everything you think is wrong or unfair. Toxic people in the workplace can trigger your temper and disturb your emotional stability. Ask them questions if they attempt to grab your control and let them know you are emotionally strong and can control yourself. Lifting your self-esteem, courage, and morale, and disagreeing aspects is an absolute way to handle and deal with toxic people at work. 

When learning different workplace skills, also learn how to deal with toxic people at work? In this concern, the best way is to ignore them as much as you can. Engage yourself with good, responsible, active, understanding, happy, and productive coworkers. Stay away from them because they are tantrum throwers and can accuse you, yell at you, raise their voice, and can bully you. And all these things can disturb your mental health, affecting your performance at work. This is troublesome but make sure not to get involved in their dramatic scenarios.  

According to a poet and storyteller, John Mark Green, you free up space and emotional energy for healthy and positive relationships as you remove toxic people from your life. 

Spend time with good and cool colleagues whose company can relax you and you feel happy. There may be some toxic persons in the workplace, but there are good ones. These good people can spark more productivity in you. So, ultimately, stop sabotaging yourself by being with negative and toxic people at work. And choose the squad of good and trusted persons. Engaging with good people is beneficial for you and a good way to deal with toxic people at work. 

Making efforts to take their consent and provide them happiness? A most foolish thing to do. Toxic people never care for anyone because they are self-centered personalities who have no concern with others’ happiness. So, Stop giving control to someone toxic and do not do anything to please them. Only focus at work and realize that their irrational behavior is damaging your professional reputation and how they are harmful to the company. They are so sharp and competitive persons who can spoil your career success with envy.  

According to an award-winning artist and author, Christian Baloga, do not pay attention to toxic people; what they say is actually a reflection of themselves, not you. 

If you want to set up a stable work environment, why are they behaving in this way? Talk to them directly but do not exaggerate your efforts to make them pleased. Only think about your work which is undoubtedly the only thing that matters. It might be difficult and uncomfortable for you to handle them if they are in a powerful position in the company. But at least try your best to avoid them and protect yourself from these toxic people at work. Boost up confidence in yourself and stop being scared of them. Do not panic and stay calm; ignore them as much as possible to deal with them. 

Meditation is the most effective way to stay calm, which is necessary while dealing and working with toxic people. Toxic people at work are great stressors that kill a peaceful atmosphere. You must have the ability to control your emotions under stress and pressure. Stay relaxed and calm while dealing with toxic people in the workplace.   

According to an author and blogger, Remez Sasson, you begin to enjoy inner peace and freedom from restless thinking when your mind becomes calm. 

Contact your trustworthy friends or coworkers to deal with toxic people at work effectively. We all have some persons in our life who know how to calm us down. Therefore, go to them, explain your situation, and keep yourself relaxed. You will meet toxic people everywhere in your life, So the foremost thing to deal with is to stop investing your emotions in them. Recognize your weaknesses and tackle yourself before dealing with toxic people at work.

But wait for a second, and think, What if you are toxic to others? Have you ever thought about how good or bad your behavior is? Have you ever realized how you treat others? What if others feel the same for you and consider you a negative, selfish, soul-sucking, mean, and self-centered person? Then, analyze your behavior, be kind and friendly to others, and change yourself.  

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