Stefanie Costi

Being paid by a workplace doesn’t give them the right to mistreat you.

You did not sign up to be their punching bag or their servant. And you sure as hell didn’t sign up to pay a therapist with your hard-earned money to deal with the damage they’re doing to your mental health.

If you tolerate mistreatment, you are choosing it. And that's completely unacceptable.

Just because they pay you doesn’t mean they can negotiate your worth, dignity or mental health. Don’t let anyone make you believe otherwise.

Would you tell someone in an abusive relationship to stay because their partner only slapped them once? No. You’d tell them to run and never look back.

So why are you still in a job that emotionally abuses you, belittles you or wears you down?

Your career is a reflection of what you’re willing to tolerate.

Stop tolerating bullshit. Stop settling for less.

♻️ Repost this. Let’s make the future of work safe.

(Follow me Stefanie Costi and on Instagram here @stefanie_costi for more posts about a safer future of work.)

#workplacebullying #harassment #career #mentalhealth #wellbeing

Your boss and workplace is toxic if they see you as a problem for:

A. Wanting fair pay
B. Seeking career progression
C. Managing your stress
D. Raising concerns
E. Having a personal life
F. Refusing to be bullied or harassed

If you’re in this situation, there’s only one solution:

Back yourself, prioritise your mental health, and leave.

Stop being the martyr and telling yourself that you need to tolerate dysfunction or mistreatment to get ahead.

The longer you entertain what's not meant for you, the more you delay finding what truly is.

♻ Repost this. Let's show everyone what a toxic workplace looks like.

#workplacebullying #harassment #work #job #career #success #mentalhealth #wellbeing

8 reasons why you should leave your toxic workplace in 2025

1. Your mental and physical health is suffering.
2. You feel bullied and harassed.
3. Growth opportunities are non-existent.
4. You can’t be yourself without repercussions.
5. You have been put on a Performance Improvement Plan.
6. Toxic colleagues are rewarded not reprimanded.
7. You work with toxic people who are threatened by you.
8. You spend your days waiting for the next “bomb” to go off.

If you have been nodding along, this is your sign to create an exit strategy.

Doing this isn’t running away or letting the bullies win. It’s believing that you deserve better and having the courage to act on that belief.

♻️ Repost this. Let’s make the future of work safer.

(Follow me Stefanie Costi and on Instagram here @stefanie_costi for more posts about a safer future of work.)

#bullying #harassment #career #wellbeing #mentalhealth

If your employees are resigning and you can't figure out why, guess what?

You may be the toxic boss they are desperately escaping from.

Here's why:

1. You ignore how toxic the workplace is.

2. You create the toxic atmosphere.

3. You won’t admit your harmful impact.

4. You punish employees who speak up.

5. You care more about your ego than the team’s wellbeing.

It's time to wake up and smell the decay, leaders.

If you can't see the problem, you ARE the problem.

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#workplacebullying #harassment #mentalhealth #wellbeing #leadership

Many people believe that they need to stay in toxic workplaces to change them.

That’s the biggest lie you’ve been sold.

If leadership wanted change, it would have happened.
If HR was your friend, you would feel protected.
If the system cared, you wouldn’t be struggling.
If staying worked, toxic workplaces wouldn’t exist.

Toxic workplaces are not likely to change but they will change you.

♻️ Repost this. Let’s make the future of work safer.

(Follow me Stefanie Costi and on Instagram here @stefanie_costi for more posts about a safer future of work.)

#bullying #harassment #career #job #wellbeing

If you’re trying to control every move your employees make, you’re failing as a leader.

It means you’re treating them like puppets, not people.

You are coercively controlling if you:

1. Forcing them to work when they’re sick or exhausted.
2. Punishing them for speaking up or saying no.
3. Pushing them to do things that go against their values.
4. Making them feel guilty about side hustles or hobbies that don’t interfere with work.

My advice? If you feel the need to coercively control your employees, it’s time you ask yourself why you don’t trust the people you hired.

♻️ Repost this. Let’s make the future of work safer.

(Follow me Stefanie Costi and on Instagram here @stefanie_costi for more posts about a safer future of work.)

#bullying #harassment #career #mentalhealth #wellbeing

Toxic bosses will tell you to be grateful to:

1. Have a job at all.
2. Work extra hours without pay to “prove your loyalty.“
3. Tolerate their abusive behaviour without complaint.
4. Sacrifice your mental health for their success.
5. Be invited to your Christmas party.
6. Receive payment for your work.

What they really mean is be submissive or else.

My advice? A client of mine has been on stress leave for six months because they literally shake because of their toxic boss. I’ll tell you what I told them. You don’t need to be grateful for abuse. Take back control over your career by creating an exit strategy in 2025.

♻️ Repost this. Let’s make the future of work safer.

(Follow me Stefanie Costi and on Instagram here @stefanie_costi for more posts about a safer future of work.)

#workplacebullying #harassment #mentalhealth #wellbeing #career

Managing up will not work on a toxic boss.

Here’s why:

1. Your attempt to manage up will trigger their paranoia and make them more defensive and abusive.

2. They are allergic to feedback - especially when it’s not what they want to hear.

3. They want you to know your place i.e. you are their minion.

4. Whatever you do to manage up, they’ll twist it and use it to undermine you.

5. These bosses often operate without accountability.

Instead of trying to manage up, focus on managing yourself out.

♻️ Repost this. Let’s make the future of work safer.

#workplacebullying #harassment #career #mentalhealth #wellbeing

Workplace bullying is a form of generational trauma.

Here's why.

It creates a cycle of pain that affects NOT just the person being bullied, but also their children and future workers.

When someone is bullied at work, it can physical issues and mental health problems like anxiety, depression and even suicide. These problems don't stay with just the victim. They affect how they treat others and how they view work and authority.

Children who see their parents suffer from bullying at work learn to fear and distrust the workplace. They might either become targets of bullying themselves or turn into bullies to protect themselves. This means the cycle of bullying continues.

Parents and mentors who have been bullied might pass on their trauma through their actions and attitudes and create a home or work environment where bullying seems normal. This trauma doesn't just disappear. It gets handed down, making it likely that the next generation will face the same issues.

In the workplace, if bullying isn't stopped, it becomes part of the culture. New employees see it, learn it, and continue it. This toxic environment keeps the cycle going, affecting more and more people over time.

Workplace bullying is generational trauma because it traps people in a vicious cycle of hurt and abuse that keeps spreading to future generations.

Just because workplace bullying hasn’t happened to you to date doesn’t mean it won’t happen to your children and grandchildren.

Just because workplace bullying hasn’t happened to you doesn’t mean you can say that it hasn’t happened to anyone else.

The standard we walk past is the standard we accept.      

Let’s stop the cycle.           

Do you agree?

♻ Repost this. Let’s make workplaces safer.

#workplacebullying #harassment #trauma #workplaces #career #work #success #mentalhealth #wellbeing

Your toxic boss’ “open door policy” is not a chance to be heard.

Here’s what it really means:

1. That “open door” is a ploy to keep you under constant surveillance. It’s not about genuinely listening. It’s about controlling and monitoring you.

2. They will make you feel like a nuisance for raising concerns. It’s a trick to silence you and keep you from speaking up.

3. Whenever you bring up a problem, expect more tasks or issues for yourself, not actual solutions or support.

4. Their feedback will be confusing and leave you unsure of what’s expected and more compliant.

5. They will make you feel obligated to report every little issue. By pushing you to report every problem, they make you more dependent on their approval and less able to handle things on your own.

6. They will lead you to believe that raising concerns will bring change. Often, nothing will actually improve and you will be left stuck in the same frustrating situation.

My advice? Be smart about when and how you engage. Document everything, seek support outside the office if needed and take care of your sanity and wellbeing. Don’t get caught in their trapdoor. It’s designed to keep you stuck and under control.

♻ Repost this. Let’s make the future of work safer.

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Toxic bosses believe belittling others elevates their status.

In reality, it just exposes their:

1. insecurity
2. lack of real leadership
3. desperation
4. incompetence

A smart and strong leader is well-mannered and doesn’t need to tear people down to feel powerful.

A lion doesn’t need to roar in the jungle for people to know how powerful he is.

♻️ Repost this. Let’s make the future of work safer.

(Follow me Stefanie Costi and on Instagram here @stefanie_costi for more posts about a safer future of work.)

#bullying #harassment #career #wellbeing #mentalhealth #job

Workplace bullying says more about the bully than it ever will about you.

It’s usually because the bully feels:

1. Insecurity — They see your potential and it terrifies them.
2. Disdain — They don’t like you for reasons that aren’t your fault.
3. Fear — They are scared you will outshine them.
4. Projection — They are projecting their own failures and frustrations onto you.
5. Triggered by your poor performance — They think bullying you is the only way you'll improve.

You’re not responsible for their insecurities, fears or other issues.

My advice? Stand your ground, focus on your goals and surround yourself with supportive people at work. If you can’t find that support, it may be time for you to consider planning your exit.

♻ Repost this. Let's make the future of work safer.

#workplacebullying #harassment #career #mentalhealth #wellbeing