Toxic workplace
Can anyone please offer me some advice I'm so conflicted about what to do about my toxic workplace. I have two children and have had both maternity leaves whilst at this job. Each time I've come back no one has asked me about my new baby, or how I am, or how maternity leave was etc. For the first few months back I didn't even open my mouth as no one spoke to me (we're a small team of 6). They all act like they like eachother but bitch about eachother behind their backs, literally no one is safe.
Fast forward to now, they've all decided to conspire against me and I've been pulled into a meeting room for spreading lies and rumours. It's a long story but basically it was other people making the rumours but they lied so it looked like it was me. It honestly was not me, I had to even swear on my babies life 😔
Now I get good sick pay, full pay for 4 months. I've never taken a single sick day off in my whole career, I've always worked through my illnesses. My friend said if I was her then she would go off sick with work stress.
I literally cannot face these women, they are all so toxic and since I was pulled into the meeting I haven't been able to sleep, when I eat I feel sick. When I think about going into work I feel on the edge of a panic attack. I'm not a bad person I've never been told I am, so this is a real shock for me. I have a friend who worked with me who went on sick leave and made them transfer her to another department for very similar issues. It seems they do a big witch hunt every year and pick off the "normal" ones.
What would you do? I'm looking for a new job desperately but it obviously takes some time
I'd suggest you need to think beyond the immediate. If you take off the 4 months for stress, what do you want to happen then? Would it be worth looking for alternative employment and seeing that as your escape route? Could you do that whilst working or do you need that 4 months break? Lots of questions but ones I would have benefitted from when I broke due to stress.