“You don’t leave a company; you leave bad bosses and a toxic work environment.” You must have heard this phrase. If we look at the statistics, it stands true in most of the cases where an employee decides to resign and move on. Toxic seniors can impact hardworking employees’ ability to give their best at work. The toxicity often comes in different ways – there are times when seniors start harassing employees and try to find issues in their work, but it has often been seen that these seniors drag their subordinate’s private lives to work.
In this part of ‘Office Whispers’, an exclusive series by FE Leisure, we’ll be discussing issues that employees face at work. In the first series, we are talking about how toxic seniors can impact mental health.
“Jayshree, my senior, started hanging out with me when she got to know I’ll be working on a project that might impact her powers in the office. She started coming to my house on a regular basis and tried to win my trust. Unfortunately, she was able to do that. She slowly started following me on social media handles. I found everything to be normal. I mean, that’s how you make friends? Isn’t it? She had a member in her team called Prakaash whom she disliked the most. I am talking about him because I went with him on a personal trip as we wanted to know each other and see if we could form a long-term bond. That’s not a crime? Right? We were meeting outside work and not even speaking to each other in the office. Long story short, Jayshree learned about us and created a scene at work. She went to my senior and shared my personal life with a male boss. That was humiliating. She discussed it with every employee on her team. It pushed me into depression and made me anxious for over four months,” said Isha Bhardwaj, who works at a reputed company, while talking about her mental health story.
Bhardwaj shared more details about mental harassment at work, “That’s not all, she didn’t stop here. She started blackmailing me and Prakaash separately. She told him that I was filing a POSH case against him when I had no intentions of doing so. She instigated me saying, ‘Prakaash has revealed your secrets and has sold you in front of the bosses.’ This triggered me even more. Every day at work was nothing less than torture.”
To understand such situations and to find solutions to them, we got in touch with mental health experts and psychologists. Dr. Jyoti Kapoor, Founder-Director and Senior Psychiatrist, Manasthali said, “Seniors often play a crucial role in guiding and mentoring juniors. Ideally, this relationship should be characterised by support, knowledge sharing, and a positive influence on the junior’s growth. However, in some unfortunate cases, seniors can wield their influence in harmful ways, pushing juniors into depression through the propagation of false narratives.”
Toxic behavior from seniors, including pushing juniors into depression with false narratives, can have significant negative consequences on the mental health and well-being of younger individuals. Dr. Rohan Kumar, Consultant Psychiatrist, at Regency Hospital, explains, “False narratives and toxic behavior from seniors can lead to feelings of confusion, anxiety, and self-doubt in juniors. When someone in a position of authority spreads false information or engages in manipulative behaviour, it can erode the junior’s sense of trust and security. Over time, this can contribute to the development of depressive symptoms. False narratives perpetuated by seniors can lead juniors to question their own worth and abilities. When subjected to criticism or belittling, individuals may internalise these negative messages, leading to diminished self-esteem and self-worth. This negative self-perception is closely linked to depression.”
He added, “Seniors who engage in toxic behaviour may use emotional manipulation to exert control over juniors. This emotional distress, such as guilt, fear, or humiliation, can take a toll on a junior’s mental health. Prolonged exposure to such tactics can increase the risk of developing depression or exacerbate pre-existing depressive symptoms.”
He concludes, “If the toxic behavior is not addressed or continues over an extended period, it can have long-lasting consequences on a junior’s mental health. Chronic exposure to negative narratives and toxic interactions can lead to chronic stress, which is a significant contributor to depression and other mental health disorders.”
Dr. Jyoti Kapoor explained the following ways in which toxic senior behaviour can have severe consequences for the mental health of their juniors:
Spreading False Stories:
Toxic seniors may employ various means to spread false stories about their junior colleagues. This can include making baseless claims about their abilities, work ethic, or character. Such rumors and misinformation can be damaging, as they tarnish the junior’s reputation and self-esteem, leading to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt.
Undermining Confidence:
When seniors consistently belittle or undermine their junior colleagues, it erodes their confidence and self-esteem. Seniors who engage in this behavior may downplay their junior’s achievements, dismiss their ideas, or unfairly critique their work. The relentless negativity can gradually erode the junior’s belief in their abilities and potential.
Isolation and Exclusion:
Toxic seniors may use their influence to isolate juniors, making them feel excluded from important projects, social events, or professional networks. This isolation can lead to feelings of loneliness, alienation, and the perception that they are unworthy of inclusion, contributing to depressive thoughts and emotions.
Imposing Unrealistic Expectations:
Setting unattainable goals and expectations for juniors is another harmful tactic used by toxic seniors. When juniors are continually pressured to meet these unrealistic standards, it can lead to extreme stress and anxiety. The constant fear of failure can evolve into depression over time.
Gaslighting and Manipulation:
Some toxic seniors employ manipulative tactics, such as gaslighting, to make their juniors doubt their own perceptions and reality. By distorting the truth and making the junior question their sanity, toxic seniors can cause significant emotional distress and confusion, potentially pushing the junior into a depressive state.
Creating a Hostile Work Environment:
Toxic senior behavior can create a hostile work or learning environment where juniors feel threatened or unsafe. This constant state of anxiety and fear can take a severe toll on mental health, leading to depression and other psychological issues.
Dr. Rahul Chandhok, Head Consultant, Mental Health and Behavioural Science, Artemis Hospital Gurgaon gives us solutions to cope with depression:
Self-awareness:
Juniors should recognise the toxic behavior and its impact on their mental health. Understanding the problem is the very first step to addressing it
Seek Support:
Talk to trusted colleagues, mentors, or HR about the problem. They can provide guidance and possibly intervene if things are going beyond the limit.
Proof:
Keep proof of any false narratives or incidents. These can be useful when discussing the problem with higher authorities.
Set Boundaries:
Establish clear boundaries with toxic seniors. Assert your limits and expectations politely yet assertively.
Develop Resilience:
Focus on building emotional resilience. Engage in stress-reduction techniques like meditation or counseling to keep yourself calm and help cope with the negativity.
Professional Growth:
Don’t make your personal growth suffer because of all this. Continue to develop your skills and expertise to gain self-confidence and demonstrate your value independently.
Exit Strategy:
If the situation becomes unbearable, there’s no improvement and you’re getting no help from anywhere, consider seeking opportunities elsewhere.
Remember, it’s important to prioritise your mental health and well-being. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if the situation leads to severe depression or anxiety.
