We all get frustrated at work sometimes. Maybe it was something a coworker said. Or something about the way your manager led that last meeting that had you in a twist. You’ve probably been tempted to vent your frustrations to your coworkers. But the truth is, that can lead to a toxic work environment faster than you’d think.
It may seem commonplace for people to vent about their problems at work. But it can lead to big problems for you, your team, and the company as a whole. Despite the laughs of shows like “The Office” or “Parks and Recreation,” the outcomes in real life are much less comical. Contributing to a company culture that is negative due to people complaining all the time is one surefire way to create a toxic work environment.
Fortunately, there are some simple ways to avoid venting in the first place. We would never suggest bottling up your emotions over the long-term. But we do suggest finding more constructive opportunities to give feedback.
We’ve got strategies to safely vent your emotions without turning to gossip. And easy tricks to diffuse venting sessions at your workplace. But first, understanding what a toxic work environment is can help you avoid it.
What is a toxic work environment?
Healthline defines a toxic work environment as any place that makes you feel psychologically unsafe. The causes of this could be bullying, harassment, or offensive leadership. Venting, lack of respect, cliques, and excessive gossip, can also lead to a negative work culture.
Here’s an idea of how a toxic workplace affects everyone. Imagine you’ve landed your dream job at a company you really like. After a great morning meeting, you’re absolutely pumped to get to work. You head to the breakroom for a quick cup of coffee, when some of your new coworkers begin venting about the very meeting you came from.
You hear words like: “That was boring,” “What a waste of time,” or “I really can’t stand the way Vivian drones on and on.” If you’re invited into the circle, the group might expect you to hold similar views. But you don’t share their views, and you say so. Next thing you know, you’re back at your desk and there are whispers behind your back. You wonder if this is really such a nice place to work after all.
This is the effect venting can potentially have at work. Not only does it lead to a general atmosphere of negativity, but it can also create divisions within the workforce. It creates a place where no one is really happy about anything. So what can you do?
Can you avoid the dreaded vent session?
By choosing the right words, you can choose not to actively participate in venting’s toxic spread. Here’s the tricky part, though. You never want to reject someone’s venting outright. On the off chance they are venting about a legitimate problem within the company, the last thing you want is to seem uncaring or rude. So your best option is to choose words that make the person feel heard without letting things turn into a venting session.
Keep in mind that usually in this scenario, no one is necessarily looking for solutions. They just want to let some steam out of the pot. So thank whoever is sharing for expressing their feelings to you and close with a little note of encouragement . “I’m sure it’ll work out.” or “I can tell this is stressing you out.” are great phrases that offer empathy, while not progressing things. This allows you to move forward with your work without creating a negative atmosphere.
You could also turn the venting session around by making it productive. You can do this by avoiding the use of absolutes, like “never” or “always.” Instead, encourage the person to work through their feelings. If they are looking for a solution, this is where they’ll begin to find one.
Take that toxic venting from earlier. If you’re drawn into the circle, you could always pose the question: “How would you run the meetings differently?” That kind of open-ended question requires a thoughtful response.
Just make sure that you aren’t being patronizing when you ask questions. Remember, if someone is venting to you, that means they trust you to a certain degree. Don’t hurt that trust by coming at the venting with a hostile attitude.
If you really have to vent, do it outside the office.
Sometimes, you just have a frustrating day. Something happens that’s so outrageous, you need to get your anger off your chest. Do it outside of the office. If you’re married, confide in your spouse. If you’re single, confide in a close, trustworthy friend or mentor. Just make sure that whoever you vent to, it isn’t someone from your company. This way nothing you say will wind its way back to work.
While it’s important to respectfully discuss legitimate issues with higher ups and co-workers, there are times when you are just going to be left confused by some of the decisions that have been made in your company. It’s completely natural because none of us are privy to every aspect of decision making.
The reason you want to vent your frustrations to someone outside of the company is because they can offer you both empathy and insight on how you might move forward. Never disregard someone’s advice because an outside opinion may be just what you need.
It’s also good to have someone you can confide in on a regular basis. Having a lot of pent up frustrations can lead to something more damaging than a few minutes of venting. So be sure you have an outlet to process your emotions in a safe, trusted environment. You don’t want anything you’ve said in frustration to be taken out of context.
Unfortunately, if you’re already stuck in a toxic work environment, you may not be able to fix it single handedly. Maybe it’s time to move on to an organization where the culture is a more positive one. Come chat with one of our talented Staffing Managers!
We work incredibly hard to make sure that our candidates are lined up with the very best roles with the very best companies. We’ve been helping job seekers find meaningful and enjoyable work for over 40 years. So, if you need help finding a job or you’re an employer looking to fill a role, contact us at (603) 358-1000!
