Who you work with is just as important as your actual job when it comes to performing well. After all, a supportive, nurturing environment that empowers you to do your best will yield very different results from a toxic atmosphere where you constantly feel anxious, undervalued, and unappreciated.

The Cleveland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America asked people to share their work stories from hell that they wish were jokes but, unfortunately, aren’t. Their thread on Twitter has shown the appalling work conditions and horrible managers some Americans have to deal with. You’ll find their stories below. Read on, upvote the stories that resonated the most with you, and share your own nightmare job experiences in the comment section at the very bottom of the article.

Dr. Vaneeta Sandhu, a workplace psychology expert and the head of emotional fitness at Coa, told Bored Panda what we can all do as managers and employees to be more self-aware of our flaws and fix them without triggering our inner defense mechanism. Read on for what she had to say.

More info: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | DSACleveland.org

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According to Dr. Sandhu, it’s vital that we all understand that everyone can get defensive depending on the type of negative feedback we get related to our work.

“When the feedback threatens the way that we perceive ourselves, we naturally want to defend it. If you want to see yourself as a competent teammate and the negative feedback you received challenges this, it makes sense that you may feel yourself getting defensive!” she said, pointing out that if we want to criticize our bosses or employees, we need to do it diplomatically.

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“To help increase self-awareness in those around you, especially with the goal of being more receptive to feedback, role model your own practices of self-awareness. One way to role model your commitment to self-awareness is to ask for feedback from your colleagues. Asking questions like, ‘What is one way I show up as a supportive leader? What is one thing I can do more to support you?’ help model your commitment to growth,” the psychology expert explained to Bored Panda.

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Quite a few Americans are scared away by any mention of the word ‘socialism,’ and it’s no wonder, considering the US’ anti-socialist rhetoric during the Cold War. But socialism (especially democratic socialism) and communism are worlds apart.

The former is a legitimate way to structure and improve society and has achieved great success in some European countries while the latter is an evil ideology that has led to the deaths of around 100 million people. As anyone who’s ever opened up a history book will know, there’s a huge difference between the two.

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Communism is what you want to stay away from and actively fight back against it. Socialism on the other hand? It’s what keeps your work environment safe, improves your job satisfaction, and generally ups your quality of life. And it doesn’t have to be a binary choice, either. Capitalism can work hand-in-hand with good working conditions, fair labor laws, and a safety net if you ever need it. However, that requires plenty of compromises on both sides. Companies and employees alike rarely want to meet in the middle.

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At the end of the day, who do you want working for you? An exhausted employee who’s treated like a robot or somebody who’s brimming with energy, ideas, and wants to go the extra mile for you?

The Cleveland DSA is a local chapter organizing throughout the Ohio city’s metropolitan area. “At the root of our socialism is a profound commitment to democracy, as means and end. We are activists committed to democracy as not simply one of our political values but our means of restructuring society,” they explain their vision for local politics.

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“Our vision is of a society in which people have a real voice in the choices and relationships that affect the entirety of our lives. We call this vision democratic socialism—a vision of a more free, democratic, and humane society.

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The DSA aims to increase the power of working people while reducing that of corporations. The organization hopes to decrease the influence of money in politics, empower ordinary people in their workplaces and the wider economy, and restructure the system fundamentally to improve people’s livelihoods.

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Part of what the DSA hopes to achieve is to promoted democracy in the workplace, strengthen publicly operated institutions, and work with politicians at all levels of government to increase the influence that your average Americans have.

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What's your worst work story, dear Pandas? Has anything ever happened to you like the people in this list shared? What, in your opinion, is the key to a healthy, happy, efficient, and supportive workplace? Share your thoughts below!