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Hi all ---  I have been working for the same company, for more than 10 years, and have found my impression about the environment, is the same as it has been since the moment I walked into the place. I simply do not feel comfortable around the employee if it make sense. It is a toxic environment and I keep it to myself. IThe reason for staying over there is that I simply believe I am being supported by our management and after my former boss left for good, my situation has improved but not resolved completely. I do my work professionally and I know I have made enermies; due to my success and accomplishments, and I have found this job to advance me in ways (financially and professionally) that I might not find anywhere else. So I have stayed there to gain more experience at a reasonable "secure" income (there is a security element in this company, that is not there in others of the same industry and it is very competitive environment). Now, my dilemma has always been that some employees were jealous which became more pronounced; after I was skipped for a big promotion (around five years ago) - these enemies started to become more and more annoying, just plain annoying. In other words, they just come and go and spread false rumors - based on my assessment, it did not get them anywhere really, most of the time I was able to play the office politics to my advangae. Now, I have some anger issues (generally) in my life but my job has provoked more anger into my life. Nowadays, I started to work seriously to find some allies at work, so I tried to hire one of my friends, who is also in the same industry and further more I was in good terms with an old collegue (out of sudden). This collegue of mine has the same exact issue of the enemies around them trying to get them however he is not supported by our management anymore (although he is already higher position than I am) and therefore have tried to reach out for me and I was receptive for one main reason: I need some allies that will play my battles (I am done - after the last battle, I either will disengage or just leave the place all together). Now my question is simple: If my main issue with this "good" job is that I am simply unable to "adjust" in the environment itself. Should I really reconsider being there for only that reason? I have been depressed and treated for it properly but sometimes I feel I shouldn't be there and then apply for a resignation, then out of sudden, I talk to the management, that I would like to come back after I try out a new job. The more I learned, to express myself, and live my life, the more I seem, to be distracted, from ugly elements within my experience. Although I have seen my enemies cry infront of me, I simply laughed to myself and reminded myself it is just another battle. I do not fear losing battles against them, but sometimes it just feels like an being in a war zone.  I feel that the situation seems to improve over time, although it becomes more difficult I am more at peace about being there. My supervisor told me that my boss likes me. I have been told also that I am considered as potential for higher ups positions but sometimes I wonder if it is worth-it to work in a place where you have little to no allies. It feels that I might be setting myself up to fail but the situation's improvement sometimes speaks to me from a perspective that it could get better in future. Sometimes I feel my enemies fear and respect me but they continue to annoy me wth their non-sense every now and then, so it is not constant if you know what I mean. Your comments will be appreciated, thanks!

DJ_150's picture

Only you can decide if it is worth it or not. From your description, the job is affecting your life outside of work and you used the words "war zone" to describe the environment.  

There are other jobs out there- update your resume and listen to the Manger Tools interviewing series.

selfhealing2013's picture

See, that was the first impression, that came to my mind, around three years ago "life is too short"; I resigned and almost took a new job, then I decided to go back there; mainly because I love my type of work and can somehow be distracted by the type of work. What I am trying to say is that it is not easy to find a job you like to do and keep you busy if you know what I mean.

misstenacity's picture

I am close with someone in a similar situation and they are actively prepared to leave, even though the thought of having to interview for a new position nearly scares them to death. I'm not exaggerating: they have Asperger's and it makes them have panic attacks just contemplating it.

Read Seneca's "On The Shortness of Life" and you'll know what to do.

selfhealing2013's picture

I am not concerned about the interview process, etc. I am only concerned that I might leave something that I do enjoy doing (the type of work itself).

Ariashley's picture

That sounds like a very ineffective work place.  If people are spending all of their time competing with each other, lying, and back stabbing, when does work get done that has anything to do with the Company's objectives?  All work places have some amount of conflict.  Usually, it's other competing business objectives or failures of communication that are amicably resolved.  Also, sometimes employees experience some level of jealously of another who has been promoted sooner.  When that happened on my team,, I advised the team member who had the jealousy aimed at them in not responding negatively and worked with the person who was not promoted to help them understand that performance is assessed independtly for each person and helped him understand what he needed to do to work towards a similar promotion by providing more coaching.  The jealous employee got over it very quickly and worked with the other person to help him work towards his own promotion.

i have always worked at companies that have a code of ethics, where lying and backstabbing would result in feedback and poor performance and termination, if it escalated.  There are also ways to design healthy competition, though collaboration is usually more effective.

Is it at all possible that you are assigning intent to other people's behavior that isn't there (that you are misinterpreting)?  If not, and the situation makes you angry and upset all the time, I suggest seeking and new position at another company and leaving your current job whenever you get one.

selfhealing2013's picture

These employees aim is only to "distract" or "disturb" rather than anything else which reflect they are only jealous. For example, they contact the highers up office, to say that I am not there, when I have taken permission, for absence of leave - that would only embarrase them at higher ups level and show that they are nothing more than jealous lol. They play the office politics game in a stupid manner that just seems like another amature ineffective employee rather than a real back stabber, if you know what I mean. I am the type of person who is absent minded in nature at work. In other words, I do my job and get support needed but I am just wondering how am I going to manage such employee in future if I were to be their boss.