A 'Glass Cliff' Job in a Toxic Workplace Put Me in Hospital—I Had to Change

Some time ago, I was brought into a company during a big transition period to help move things in a new direction. As the first woman of color to step into the role, I was excited about the possibilities and eager to make a real impact.

However, it didn't take me long to realize I had stepped into an environment with deep-rooted issues that had been stewing long before I showed up.

Faced with high attrition, uncertainty, and a team still reeling from past changes, I found myself in a situation all too familiar to many women leaders—brought in during a crisis, with the unspoken expectation that I'd clean it up.

Like so many of us handed "glass cliff" roles, I felt immense pressure to fix things that were broken long before I arrived. I threw myself into the job, working late into the evenings and through weekends, desperate to gain buy-in and stabilize the team.

Each evening, I'd give quick nods to my husband and kids from my home office as they walked through the door, racked with guilt as I watched them move on with their evening without me. All I wanted was to spend time with them.

Instead, I stayed glued to my laptop long after they went to bed, convincing myself that if I just worked a little harder and sacrificed a little more, I could make it all right.

Soon, I found myself trapped in a cycle of exhaustion, struggling to see a way out.

It's the quiet part many of us hesitate to speak out loud: Feeling trapped in a toxic work environment. And yet, the data speaks for itself.

According to a recent study by MIT Sloan, nearly 1 in 5 employees report having left their job in the last year due to a toxic workplace culture.

Another survey found that 44 percent of employees believe they are currently in a toxic work environment, citing a lack of trust in leadership, poor communication, and lack of support as primary contributors.

But what does a toxic environment actually look like, and more importantly, how do you prepare yourself to leave?

Having spent years as a health attorney and later working as an executive in health and wellness media, I've seen firsthand the toll that stress and trauma can take on the body.

I'm also aware of how common self-care tips often fall short of providing actionable solutions.

It wasn't until I found myself in a hospital room—after bouts of chest pain and shortness of breath—being treated for severe anemia while still trying to lead a staff meeting that I realized I was facing something no amount of yoga classes, meditation, or deep breathing could fix.

I had to go.

Why We Stay in Toxic Workplaces

We tell ourselves all kinds of stories about why we can't leave a toxic work environment—financial stability being top among them.

According to a recent report by Gallup, 60 percent of employees in toxic workplaces say they stay because they need the income or are afraid of losing their health benefits. But it's more than that.

There is that inner voice convincing you that if you just stick it out a little longer things might change.

There is also the fear that if you leave too soon, it could damage your professional reputation and signal to future employers that you're unreliable or someone who couldn't handle the pressure.

So you stay. And you hope for the best, worrying about how it might look if you walk away, and wondering if things will finally turn around just as you're about to leave...

But none of these reasons are worth sacrificing your health or happiness. No matter how convincing the narrative, the truth is, protecting our well-being is non-negotiable.

The longer we wait, the more we lose ourselves and our sense of what's truly possible.

Recognizing a Sick Work Environment

A toxic work environment can manifest in various ways, and recognizing the symptoms is critical. Here are some key indicators to watch for:

• High levels of turnover and burnout
• Increased absenteeism​
• Low morale and engagement
• Frequent conflicts and hostility​
• Poor communication
• Burnout
• Cliques, gossip, and bullying

My Breaking Point

There I was, sitting in a hospital room, hooked up to an IV funneling black liquid iron into my veins, leading a staff meeting.

I had been pushing myself for so long, trying to make things work, that I didn't realize just how much I was sacrificing—my health, my peace, and my sense of self.

I kept thinking if I just gave more, worked harder, I could create stability in a situation that had been unstable long before I arrived.

A friend once described toxic workplaces as environments where people fall into stages of trauma responses: Fight, flight, or freeze. It's a survival instinct where your body constantly decides whether to confront the threat, escape it, or become immobilized by it.

As she spoke, I began to see these patterns play out among my colleagues—each trying to survive in their own way.

There was the woman who came to every meeting combative and quick-tempered (fight), the one who broke down in tears at every one-on-one and eventually took extended leave (flight), and the one who seemed paralyzed by the sheer volume of work (freeze).

And then there was me. I had convinced myself that staying meant strength, but in reality, I was stuck in my own loop of overextending and trying to solve everything.

I'm not sure if it was the worry on my husband's face as he watched me hold that staff meeting from my hospital bed, or the sudden realization that I might actually lose my life in this fight—but in that moment, I knew something had to change.

It wasn't about fixing the role or gaining acceptance—it was about protecting my health and finally choosing to step away.

Breaking the Chains: A Roadmap for Leaving a Toxic Job

There's no one-size-fits-all action plan for breaking free from toxicity, but here are a few strategies that worked for me:

1. Don't rush into something else.

Good career moves require deliberation. The worst thing you can do is jump from one bad situation into another. Take time to reflect on what you truly want next. A wonderful mentor encouraged me to think about how I felt failed by my environment, what my values were, and how they had been stepped on. Were there red flags before I took the job? Like any relationship, there are almost always signs. This reflection allows you to make better choices next time.

2. Diversify your income.

I know it's daunting to think of adding more when you're already overwhelmed, but the key is to stop giving so much to your current role. Those extra hours and beyond-the-call-of-duty projects? If growth at your company is no longer your goal, saying no to extra work or being honest about unrealistic deadlines will be tough for others to accept—but it likely won't get you fired. The name of the game is to collect your check, and keep things baseline. It will buy you time and energy to explore other opportunities or even monetize a passion project on the side.

3. Expand your network beyond your industry.

Toxicity is infectious. It brings out the worst in people, and it can feel intensely personal. Begin building a strong reputation outside your immediate circle. Join professional groups, attend industry-agnostic networking events, and get involved in community organizations. When it's time to leave, you'll have a diverse network to vouch for your skills and character.

4. Don't resist the detour.

I've learned that the only way I want to design my career going forward is by impact, not title. If your goal is to make a difference in public health because you want to help communities thrive, remember that you don't need to be at the helm of a major health organization to create that impact. There are countless other paths—whether through advocacy work, consulting, or building a grassroots initiative—that can be just as powerful in driving change. Don't just beat down the same doors as you plan your escape. Open yourself to the possibility that what you need might lie in a completely different direction.

5. Honor the quiet part.

Sometimes stepping away from a toxic environment means embracing humility, relinquishing your impressive title, and starting over. Moving forward requires self-reflection, thoughtful planning, and finding new ways to show up in different spaces. In a world full of "I'm thrilled to announce [Insert Big Fancy Thing]" LinkedIn posts, it's okay to just be a spectator... for now. That doesn't mean you aren't making progress.

6. Return to yourself deeply and often.

Yes, this is the self-care portion of the article, but it needs to be said. Take breaks. Take walks, lunches away from your desk, confide in someone you trust, find a therapist. You can't heal from what you don't acknowledge. And trust me, healing will take time.

Protecting Your Peace

Leaving a toxic work environment isn't easy, and it may not happen overnight. But every step away from toxicity is a step toward reclaiming your power, your health, and your peace.

We need to redefine success on our own terms—not by titles or paychecks, but by how deeply we protect the core of who we are.

The biggest shift I made wasn't just leaving that role—it was deciding that no job, no title, and no amount of money would ever again cost me my health.

You may not be able to quit tomorrow, but you can choose today to start building an exit strategy. Because the first person you need to prove your worth to—is yourself.

Faye McCray is a leader, speaker, and consultant with a unique career trajectory that spans law, media, and wellness.

All views expressed are the author's own.

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