Ten Ways to Survive a Hostile Working Environment

• If you are working in a hostile environment, you need to distract yourself from the hostility to motivate yourself to get your work done. However, if the hostility interferes with your ability to work and becomes a growing problem in the workplace, you need to inform your manager of the hostility with the goal of improving the workplace environment.

Frequent Breaks

• Take frequent breaks to walk around the office or go outside to get some fresh air. If you are submerged in a hostile working environment for too long, you start getting stressed out or fed up. Free yourself from the hostility by leaving the premises several times during the day.

Stay Focused on the Work

• Bring something from home that motivates you to work. This can be a picture of your family or a list of goals that you are working on. Keep reminding yourself why you are there and stay focused on your personal goals.

Shut out the Hostility

• Listen to the radio by wearing headphones during work hours. Your personal productivity may increase if you learn to shut out the hostility and not let it affect your personal work environment.

Add a Sweet Touch

• Bring coworkers together by adding a sweet touch to the workplace. Bring cookies, doughnuts or a fruit basket into the office to promote friendliness and togetherness.

Communicate with your Coworkers

• Make friends at work by spending time outside of the office with fellow coworkers. Leave the hostile work environment by going out to lunch and discussing your common interests.

Discuss the Hostile Environment

• Share your stress, views or problems with the hostile work place with other coworkers who are affected by the environment. Having a chance to vent or share your thoughts can be relaxing and improve you state of mind. By sharing your thoughts and discussing the hostility, you are not alone.

Review your Company Rules

• Read through the company's policies on hostility, harassment or violations in the workplace. Determine whether any of these policies or rules are being broken or challenged.

Take Action as a Group

• If the hostile environment is affecting more than one employee or affecting workplace productivity, take action as a group by speaking to a manager or CEO about the concerns and problems.

Give Yourself a Voice

• Write down your personal experiences in a letter to the human resources department. You need to use several examples in your letter, so start the letter and let the content build over a month or two. If the human resources department hears about actual instances of workplace hostility, they are more likely to take action.

Get Outside Help

• Contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for further assistance, if the hostile work environment does not change. The EEOC can inform you of your rights as an employee and what you can do to protect yourself in a hostile or unsafe work environment.