Understanding Workplace Toxicity: A Journey of Self-Reflection and Objective Evaluation

Abang Edwin Syarif Agustin
4 min readJul 29, 2024
Photo by Nubelson Fernandes on Unsplash

In the bustling world of modern workplaces, the word “toxic” gets thrown around like confetti at a New Year’s Eve party. But before we slap that label on every office we step into, it might be time to take a long, hard look in the mirror. Could it be that the toxicity we perceive is, in fact, a reflection of our own attitudes and behaviors?

Let’s dive into the murky waters of workplace dynamics with a few enlightening tales that might just make us think twice before crying “toxic!”

The Job-Hopping Harbinger

Meet Sarah, a bright-eyed marketing whiz with a resume as long as a CVS receipt. Every few months, Sarah would pack up her desk, citing yet another “toxic workplace” as her reason for leaving. Her LinkedIn profile became a graveyard of short-lived positions, each one apparently more poisonous than the last.

It wasn’t until her fifth job in three years that a wise mentor, over a steaming cup of coffee, gently suggested, “Sarah, have you considered that you might be the common denominator in all these situations?” The question hit Sarah like a ton of bricks. Could she be the toxic one? This moment of clarity sparked a journey of self-reflection that ultimately transformed Sarah’s career trajectory and…

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Abang Edwin Syarif Agustin

Observer, Content Creator, Blogger (Obviously), Ghostwriter, Design Thinker, Trainer and also Lecturer for Product Design Dept at Podomoro University