How One Toxic Manager Changed Everything
“It sounds like he’s just trying to get rid of you rather than take any corrective action,” said my union steward. His voice grew distant over the phone I held to my ear, and in my view of my kitchen turned into a long corridor. Despite months of petty conflict with my teammates, it took an HR complaint from my supervisor alleging “insubordination” for me to realize I was in a toxic work environment and my own supervisor was at the center of it. Suddenly all the small humiliations and injustices made sense. Clear displeasure when I disclosed travel plans six months in advance. An unfair performance evaluation. Getting shafted in the new office seating arrangement. Being left out of meetings about my subject area. The sudden attitude change from teammates with whom I thought I had a good working relationship. I confided in my coworker who was a higher-up before her own experience with a toxic work environment drove her to take a lower...