By: Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I
When one of my mentees whom I will refer to as “Maya” first stepped into her role at a nonprofit dedicated to mental health services, she felt a deep sense of purpose. She had spent years studying, training, and preparing to make a meaningful impact. She believed in the organization’s mission and was eager to contribute to positive change. But over time, the cracks in the foundation became impossible to ignore.
Maya found herself working long hours with minimal support, shouldering caseloads that were unsustainable. Her manager wouldn’t provide clarity in task assignments and failed to communicate with her regarding her performance. Senior leadership often emphasized self-care in meetings yet her manager dismissed her concerns about burnout. She watched colleagues leave one by one, their passion replaced by exhaustion. The final straw came when she advocated for structural changes to improve staff well-being and was met with defensiveness and gaslighting. It was then she realized that while the organization claimed to be a healing space, it was, in fact, harming the very people carrying out its mission.
Maya’s story is not unique. Many professionals enter mission-driven spaces with purpose, only to be met with environments that deplete rather than uplift. This disconnect is not just a personal struggle, it is a systemic issue that impacts the very populations these organizations aim to serve.
The Cost of Workplace Toxicity
Workplace toxicity manifests in various ways. It can include but is not limited to burnout, high turnover, lack of psychological safety, inconsistent leadership, favoritism, and an absence of professional growth opportunities. These conditions erode the morale and well-being of those who have committed their lives to making a difference. When an organization fails to align its values with its actions, it creates a paradox: those expected to facilitate healing for others are themselves working in conditions that harm them.
The consequences of these environments go beyond employee dissatisfaction. They affect service delivery, reduce the quality of care, and ultimately, undermine the mission of the organization. How can we expect professionals to provide compassionate, effective care when they themselves are unsupported, overworked, and undervalued?
The Need for Cultural Changes
To create truly healing spaces, organizations must first look inward. This means cultivating a culture where employees are respected, heard, and empowered. Leadership must be willing to assess and address systemic issues, including:
• Transparent Communication: A lack of clarity and honesty from leadership creates distrust and disengagement. Open dialogue is essential.
• Employee Well-being: Supporting staff with adequate resources, mental health support, and reasonable workloads is not a luxury; it is a necessity.
• Accountability at All Levels: Leaders must model the behaviors they expect from employees, ensuring that ethical practices are upheld in all aspects of the organization.
• Equity and Inclusion: Many mission-driven spaces advocate for social justice yet fail to embody these principles internally. Organizations must commit to addressing disparities within their own walls.
• Opportunities for Growth: Employees should have access to mentorship, leadership development, and career advancement opportunities. Feeling stagnant in a role leads to disengagement and job dissatisfaction.
The Employee’s Tole in Creating a Healthy Workplace
While organizations bear responsibility for setting the tone of workplace culture, employees also play a role in shaping the environments they work in. Building a healthier workplace requires:
• Setting Boundaries: Employees must advocate for themselves by communicating workload limitations and enforcing personal and professional boundaries.
• Speaking Up: Silence enables toxicity. If a workplace has harmful policies or leadership practices, constructive feedback should be given when safe to do so.
• Supporting Colleagues: Peer support is critical in mission-driven work. When employees uplift each other, it helps counteract negativity and fosters a more resilient team.
• Participating in Solutions: Employees can be proactive in leading or suggesting improvements, such as wellness initiatives, peer mentorship programs, or structured feedback channels.
• Knowing Their Worth: Professionals in the helping fields often feel obligated to stay in toxic environments out of loyalty to the mission. Recognizing one’s value means understanding that no job is worth deteriorating mental or physical health.
When It’s Time to Leave
There comes a time when an employee must assess whether change is possible within an organization or if it’s best to move on. Most organizations operate under at-will employment, meaning they can terminate an employee at any time, but employees also have the power to fire their boss.
Signs it may be time to leave:
• Consistent Disrespect: If leadership dismisses concerns, devalues employees, or operates with unethical behavior, it’s a red flag.
• Unmanageable Workload: If requests for support are consistently ignored and burnout becomes the norm, it may not be sustainable.
• Toxic Culture: Gossip, favoritism, and workplace bullying should not be accepted as part of the job.
• Stagnation: If there’s no room for growth or professional development, the long-term potential of the role may be limited.
• Physical and Mental Health Decline: Chronic stress, anxiety, or exhaustion related to work is a serious indicator that change is necessary.
While leaving a job is not always an easy choice, employees must remember they have options. There are other organizations that value their employees, and the skills they bring to the table can be appreciated elsewhere. Prioritizing self-respect and career fulfillment over a toxic work environment is an act of self-preservation, not selfishness.
How Vantage Clinical Consulting Can Help
At Vantage Clinical Consulting, we believe that healing starts from within. Organizations dedicated to health and social services must prioritize the well-being of their teams to ensure sustainable impact. We offer:
• Workplace Culture Assessments – Identifying organizational pain points and developing actionable solutions to foster a supportive work environment.
• Leadership Training – Equipping leaders with tools to create a psychologically safe and empowering workplace.
• Employee Resilience Programs – Providing support and strategies to prevent burnout and enhance workplace well-being.
• Policy Development & Compliance – Aligning workplace policies with best practices to support staff and maintain mission integrity.
By addressing workplace toxicity head-on, we help organizations build cultures that uplift both employees and the communities they serve. True healing begins when the people doing the work feel valued, respected, and empowered.
A Call to Action
If you find yourself in an organization that does not appear to support its people, know that you are not alone. Seek communities that uplift you, use your voice to push for change, and remember that your well-being matters just as much as the people you serve. Healing is not just a service we provide, it must be a culture we cultivate.
For organizations ready to commit to true change, Vantage Clinical Consulting is here to help.
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