Working in a hostile environment can have a negative impact on your mental health and well-being and your professional growth as well. Whether you’re experiencing harassment, discrimination, bullying, or something else, you need to take steps to make a change as soon as possible.
If you’re struggling with workplace issues and don’t know what to do about them, this article will break down the simple steps you need to take to see the changes you need and bring peace back into your work life.
Document Everything
First, make sure you note down any incidents that relate to your issue. Once you recognize an issue, make sure to take note of any prior examples as well. Take note of what happened, who was involved, dates, times, and locations. You can simply do this on a piece of paper or even a note-taking app on your phone.
This information will be important to share with your HR department and any legal representatives you may decide to work with. If you’re looking for employment attorneys HKM is a great place to start looking. Their lawyers will be able to use everything you’ve documented into evidence for any case you open.
Address the Issue Professionally
If the issues you’re dealing with relate directly to poor behavior from a co-worker, the first step you should take is to address them directly.
Make sure to speak to them in a professional manner and avoid letting your emotions dictate how you communicate. Express your concerns about their behavior and let them know that they need to make a change. In certain circumstances, having a clear and straightforward conversation can be a simple solution.
However, if the issue is more severe or you simply don’t feel comfortable doing this, it’s okay to go straight to management with your concerns.
Seek Support
If you don’t have any success talking things out one-on-one, or if the type of issue you’re facing is serious, you’ll need to seek out internal support as soon as possible.
Talk to someone in your HR department or your manager about the issue and consider filing an official complaint. You might also discuss the issue with other co-workers to identify whether any other employees have faced the same problem. If the issue isn’t resolved internally, you will need to reach out for additional legal support and potentially open a case.
Know Your Rights and Legal Options
When it comes to employment law, it’s important to know what your rights are and what’s legally acceptable or not in a work environment based on legislation and company policy. Knowing these things will help you determine whether it’s worth your time to escalate the issue.
For example, being harassed or disadvantaged at work due to your race or ethnicity can definitely become a legal issue, whereas a co-worker leaving their stuff all over your desk is an issue you’ll probably just want to talk to them about personally instead of trying to involve the law.
