Black Women in Toxic Workplaces: How to Stop Settling and Break the Cycle

A Quick Reality Check for Black Women in Toxic Workplaces

Today, we are talking about something I’ve seen far too often, especially among high-performing, brilliant Black women who are trying to protect their peace while also chasing their purpose.

Let’s talk about career settling. Not the type of settling where we know it's preparing us for the next step or level, the type that's wrapped up in mindset barriers. 

A mindset of settling shows up in many ways in our career when we accept a job that is "just for now" or "is all that you can get". It's wrapped up in the lies we tell ourselves. 

And here lies the start of the toxic job cycle and the pattern of Black women in toxic workplaces.

Black women in toxic workplaces are often forced to make choices from survival, not alignment. We find ourselves choosing a new job just to escape, not to thrive. And when we normalize settling, we start believing that being undervalued is just part of the deal.

Sis, I get it. I've been there too, but I know the impact it can have on your mental and emotional well-being.  If you’ve been in that position before, or are in it right now, I want you to know this isn’t about blame or guilt. This is about strategy, clarity, and the collective liberation of Black Women. 

And most of all, this is about you knowing that it's time to stop settling.

What Career Settling Actually Looks Like

One of the biggest myths about settling is that it always looks like you’ve given up. But the truth is, career settling often hides in plain sight, especially for Black women who’ve been navigating toxic workplace dynamics for years.

It looks like...

• accepting a role that doesn’t excite you—because your last job left you drained and traumatized.
•  saying yes to a job that underpays—because your bills are due and you’re tired of interviewing.
• convincing yourself you can “make it work”—even when your gut told you during the interview that something felt off.

One of my clients came to me and said, “I don’t think there were any red flags before I took this job.” But as we walked through the process, we uncovered plenty. The salary was well below market rate, especially for the area she had to relocate to. The hiring team refused to negotiate, and their energy during the process felt rushed and chaotic. She ignored all of that because she needed the job.

Six months later, she was exhausted, overwhelmed, and completely misaligned.

Let me say this as clearly as possible: There are always red flags. Sometimes we don’t see them until hindsight clears the fog. But they were there.

Why Career Settling Is So Common for Black Women in Toxic Workplaces

Let's be honest...Black women in toxic workplaces are some of the most overqualified, underpaid, and under-resourced people in the job market.

We’re taught from a young age to be grateful for opportunity, even when that opportunity costs us everything. We’re told to “make it work,” to smile through the discomfort, to be flexible, to be understanding. But we are rarely reminded that we are allowed to say no.

Settling is dangerous because it teaches us to ignore our intuition. It creates patterns of disempowerment and chips away at our sense of self worth. And at the end of it all... we convince ourselves that we’re the problem.

Over time, this leads to burnout, imposter syndrome, stagnation, financial instability and even mental health challenges like anxiety and depression. Finally, you start believing that the things you really want like fulfillment, flexibility, financial stability, and a supportive team aren't possible.

But I promise you can experience something different if you break the toxic job search cycle. 

Let’s Talk About the Red Flags

If you’ve been in the job market for a while, especially after leaving a toxic environment, you might feel like your standards are too high. That you should just take the offer, even if it doesn’t feel quite right.

But here’s what I’ve learned from being on both sides, as a recruiter and a career coach for Black women: the red flags are always speaking. Sometimes we just don’t want to hear them because we’re tired, afraid, or in survival mode.

Here are some of the common signs I encourage my clients to pay attention to:

• The hiring process is disorganized or inconsistent

• Salary discussions are vague, non-negotiable, or defensive

• The team energy is cold or unwelcoming

• There’s a lack of clarity around growth or support

• Your gut says, “This doesn’t feel like a safe space”

When we ignore those flags, we don’t just risk taking a job, we risk taking on the negative impacts of workplace trauma. It almost always spills over into our peace, productivity, purpose, and ability to live out our dreams. 

Reclaiming Your Power: Set Your Career Standards

One of the most powerful things I do with my clients and Career Love Community members is help them define their Career Standards.

It’s not just about salary. It’s about what you’re calling in and what you’re no longer tolerating. Oh and sis, I’m not talking about the passive “I guess I can live with it” kind of tolerance. I’m talking about radical clarity. About naming what you actually want out of your work life.

Your standards might include:

• A salary that reflects your experience and worth

• A leadership team that respects and values your voice

• Work-life balance that honors your mental health

• Opportunities to grow, lead, and be promoted

• A culture that embraces diversity—not just performs it

And here’s the thing: once you’ve set those standards, you have to honor them. That’s the part that gets hard. Because honoring your standards means walking away from what’s almost right, but not it. The almost right is typically where those red flags hide. 

Standing on Business in your Career 

When it’s time to interview, negotiate, and evaluate offers, I want you to do it from a place of power.

This isn’t just about confidence. This is about clarity. Because when you know your worth and your standards, you’re not afraid to ask:

• “How do you support the growth of Black women in this company?”

• “Can we revisit the compensation package to ensure it aligns with market rates?”

• “What does your leadership team look like?”

• “How is feedback handled within the organization?”

Standing on business means you are not here to beg for opportunity. You are here to decide if the opportunity deserves you.

Let’s Break the Cycle Together

If this post spoke to you....if you’re tired of taking whatever you can get, if you’ve been settling for less than you deserve, or if you’re finally ready to leave a toxic workplace behind, then I would love to see you at the Black Woman Bliss Blueprint Webinar.

This webinar is an interactive experience designed specifically for high-achieving Black women who are done playing small. I’ll walk you through my proven Black Woman Bliss Framework: the exact process I use with my clients to help them move from burnout to alignment, clarity, and confidence.

In this session, you’ll discover:

• How to clearly define the career, business, and lifestyle you truly want 

• How to analyze the toxic job cycle so you never settle again

• The mindset and strategy shifts that will help you step boldly into your Black Woman Bliss Era

Whether you’re pivoting careers, aiming for leadership, or building something of your own, this webinar will give you the clarity, strategy, and unapologetic permission to go after it.

 Reserve your spot now: https://www.mercedesswan.com/bliss