From Surviving to Thriving: Strategies to Eliminate Toxic Workplaces

Overview: From Surviving to Thriving: Strategies to Eliminate Toxic Workplaces gives post-acute care professionals practical ways to handle difficult behavior at work and strengthen team relationships—regardless of job title. The session focuses on the everyday issues that make healthcare environments feel toxic: unclear expectations during busy shifts, unaddressed conflict, and harmful lateral or vertical behaviors such as gossip, exclusion, dismissive communication, or uneven accountability.

Participants learn realistic strategies for speaking up respectfully, setting clear boundaries, and supporting coworkers during stressful moments. They also gain tools to protect their own well-being when workload, transitions of care, and constant change make teamwork harder. Everyone leaves with simple, actionable skills they can use immediately to create safer, steadier, and more respectful interactions—ultimately improving teamwork, communication, and patient care.

Objectives:

• Recognize Behaviors That Create Toxic Environments: Identify early signs such as unclear expectations, unresolved conflict, gossip, dismissive communication, and “rules for some but not others”—especially during high-stress shifts and handoffs.
• Use Practical Tools to Respond: Learn straightforward ways to speak up, set boundaries, and address issues respectfully before they escalate or impact patient care.
• Strengthen Everyday Team Interactions: Build small, consistent habits that support a respectful, dependable, and cooperative work environment across roles and disciplines. 

Audience: general