Toxic Work Culture and College Students

By now, most people have read, or at least read about Anne-Marie Slaughter’s New York Times article “A Toxic Work World.” Slaughter brings up many excellent points that we feminists have been pointing to for a long time. But what about workplaces that aren’t toxic because of gender inequalities? What if they’re toxic just because of the nature of capitalistic work?

I work at a popular fabric and craft store chain where in my store all employees but two are women. When I first started working there, I loved my job. Because of the nearly all female employees and nearly all female customers, sexism seemed like a thing of the past. In some ways, I viewed my job as a reprieve from sexist behaviors. Part of the reason I took the job was because I moved back home to heal from the trauma of sexual abuse. For me, that job was the right one at the right time.

However, just because a workplace is virtually male-free does not mean that it is free from all of the microaggressions and toxicity that we try to combat as feminists. As time went on and I wasn’t just the new girl, I began to notice a lot of behavior that I frankly found unacceptable. I’m a 21-year-old woman, yet another employee constantly referred to me in front of customers as “that little girl over there.” Additionally, if a minority group came in and did anything perceived as wrong (were too loud, didn’t know where to find something, etc.) employees would snicker about them over the radios referring to them only by their perceived ethnic group (“those Mexicans” “that black lady”). I began to notice that, aside from one black woman who only worked on weekends, everyone was white. I was pressured to sell products I didn’t believe in. I also was encouraged to mislead customers into buying more expensive items even if they really did not need them. I understand that many of these behaviors are entirely too common in retail environments, but that does not make them acceptable and it certainly does not make them feminist.

The longer I worked there, the more I began to question, is this really in line with my values? Is this the type of work I want on my resume? Is this going to prepare me for the job I want someday? I stuck with it though because, as most employers will agree, working retail gives you valuable people skills. Plus, I really needed the job. Of course, things didn’t get better–they only got worse. Management changes happened and new people came in. This disrupted the work culture even more and created an environment of competition, instability, and hostility. Grumpy people got grumpier. Ultimately, I decided that I can’t work there anymore. It’s not good for my mental health, and it’s not good for my future career plans.  However,  there are ways to deal with it in the meantime and there are options available to those of us stuck in these unfortunate positions.

Often quitting your job simply isn’t an option, so you have to find ways to cope in the meantime. Find someone you work with that shares similar concerns. It’s easier to take a stand if you do so together. Try to challenge the system in small ways if possible. If a coworker makes a bigoted remark, call them out on it. While I truly believe in these solutions, it’s also important to recognize that we can’t all speak up for safety concerns or job security. You need to do what’s best for you. If you don’t want to push a customer to do something, don’t. Try to cultivate real relationships. Ask people about their day and genuinely listen. Follow up and ask about your coworkers’ lives.  However, remember that you are in control of your own person. You do not have to tolerate sexual harassment or insults. If someone makes you uncomfortable, say something. There are laws to protect you from harassment.

I’m writing this from the viewpoint of a college student with a part-time job. The solutions available to me might not work for everyone in every situation. The most obvious option is to quit. Unfortunately, college is expensive and minimum wage simply is not enough to support yourself on. A great option that can help both you and your career is to look for an on-campus job that’s in your intended field of study. In my experience, on campus jobs have a much better work culture and can lend valuable experience and great connections. If all on-campus jobs are already filled, another option is simply to reach out to local businesses that are in line with your values. Not all businesses announce when they’re hiring, so asking around can alert you to opportunities you might not already of know about. Additionally, contact your campus internship office to see if there are any paid internships you might be interested in. Another great option is to talk to your professors. They might know of job openings or have connections that can help you. Hopefully by exploring all of these avenues, there’s an option out there that works best for you and your situation.

Working in a toxic environment can be tough. Your opinions are not respected and the words that come out of your coworkers’ mouths can horrify you. Ultimately, you have to do what’s best for you and that can look different for each person. For me, I have to take care of my mental health. Working in that environment drained me and I felt that I was working against my values, not for them. I am privileged enough to have other options, and I recognize that many people don’t have that luxury. Whatever choice you make is valid and remember that there is a large community of feminists out there who understand your struggle and support you.