Being stuck in a toxic female workplace can be one of the most stressful and frustrating experiences that anyone can go through. But it doesn’t have to mean the end of your career or your sanity. On the contrary, with some preparation, understanding, and resilience, you can survive — and even thrive — in such an environment.

One of the most important things to remember is that there is no “one size fits all” solution to dealing with a toxic workplace. Instead, the best approach will depend on various factors, including your personality type, your work situation, and the specific nature of the toxic behavior in question. However, here are some general tips that may help:

1. Be clear about what is (and isn’t) acceptable behavior. Creating and maintaining a healthy environment takes work — both on the part of management and employees. As such, being clear about what is and is not acceptable regarding colleagues’ interactions with one another sets expectations for everyone involved. Open, honest communication has to be the foundation for building a positive workplace culture.[1]
2. Don’t take it personally. A toxic female workplace can quickly become toxic for all women in the office, regardless of their personalities or contributions to the team. This may lead you to question your performance and take things too much to heart.

However, remember that none of this behavior may be actually about you. For example, if your boss comments negatively about your work, it may not be that she has it out for you — it may just be that she’s having a bad day. Or perhaps her frustration is more about the larger organization as a whole and how it functions than about your specific contribution. In either case, try to keep these things in perspective and not let them get under your skin.

1. Communicate openly with management if needed. If the situation is toxic or difficult to navigate, you can talk to management about what is going on and ask for help or support. While they may not always agree with you regarding exactly what is happening behind closed doors, they will at least be aware of a problem and can work to address it.[2]
2. Don’t engage in toxic behavior yourself. Sometimes, being stuck in a toxic female workplace may tempt you to start acting like one of your colleagues — gossiping about others or engaging in other unprofessional behaviors. But remember that this only adds fuel to the fire and will not help to improve the situation for anyone. Instead, focus on developing your skills and contributing positively to your team.[3]

No matter how bad things get, try not to give up or lose hope. If you take steps like these and focus on maintaining your professionalism and integrity, you can survive — and even thrive — in a toxic female workplace.