7 Warning Signs of a Toxic Workplace
A toxic workplace is a chaotic, unpleasant, and unproductive working atmosphere. Maybe the manager is a bully, or maybe the workplace culture is all about winning at any cost. Alternatively, your employees may be abusive, disrespectful, or plain cruel.
Whatever the underlying reasons, working in a toxic workplace may be detrimental to your physical and mental health, happiness, and professional development.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stress is the biggest health concern in the workplace and a major occupational health risk.
So, being trapped in a toxic workplace for an extended period of time may surely have a negative impact, both professionally and psychologically.
Naturally, you’d prefer not to work in such an atmosphere. The difficulty is that red signs suggesting a dysfunctional business might be subtle, particularly during the interview process.
7 Warning Signs of a Toxic Workplace
Problematic employers, like a nice first date that turns into a terrible long-term relationship, might speak a good game at first. If you aren’t searching for the correct signals, you may overlook the problems until you’re already on the payroll. Here are some warning indicators of a dangerous workplace:
1. Strange Buzzwords in Job Descriptions and Mission Statements
Learning how to decipher job advertising is useful for reasons other than impressing the hiring manager with your résumé and cover letter. Once you grasp what the various buzzwords imply, you’ll have a better understanding of the company’s culture, beliefs, and expectations, which will help you decide whether you want to work there.
Textio, a software startup that specialises in “augmented writing,” used its prediction engine a few years ago to evaluate popular keywords in job adverts at ten large tech organisations. The findings provided insight into the corporate cultures of these firms. Amazon’s popular terms, for example, were “fast-paced atmosphere” and “maniacal,” but Slack’s featured “lasting connections” and “care profoundly.”
It is far from a flawless science to deduce toxicity from buzzwords. However, you should pay attention to how businesses present themselves in job postings, mission statements, and marketing materials. It’s important to understand how they view themselves since it may influence how the company treats you.
2. Freebies
When is an employee perk not genuinely beneficial to you? When it’s a snare. Free food, subsidised automobile transportation, plus video games like foosball in the break room all seem appealing. In truth, these benefits are designed to achieve one thing: keep you in the workplace.
If businesses really intended to improve your life, they would pay you enough to purchase your own food and toys and then send you home to enjoy them.
3. A Significantly Younger Workforce
Have you ever interviewed at a workplace where it seems like practically everyone is young—straight out of college or the equivalent? If you’re also at the beginning of your career, this might seem like a lot of fun. What better way to make new friends than to work with people your own age?
But there are real downsides to a staff that skews young, beyond just the problems inherent in any team without diversity. For one thing, a company that hires mostly young people may be looking for cost savings. Workers with less experience are typically paid less. That could be bad news when it comes time to negotiate a raise.
A younger team can also be a sign that an employer is looking for workers who don’t have a lot of other competing priorities—like kids, for example, toxic work or ageing parents who need care. That’s bad enough if you’re someone who does have those priorities. After all, not all young people are unencumbered with responsibilities. But even if you don’t, you might like to have a life at some point.
A company that seeks employees who are always available to work might not be the best fit for you if you’d like to travel, or train for a marathon, or do anything that takes a substantial time commitment.
4. Employees Who Seem Tired, Depressed, or Anxious
If possible, it’s always a good idea to ask if you can tour the office when you’re interviewing in person. If you’re interviewing remotely, try to gauge the attitude of the people you talk to.
When you do, pay attention to the vibe you get from the staff. Do people seem somewhat bummed out? They may be drained from working in a toxic office space. After all, it’s hard to be cheerful and engaging when you’re on the verge of burnout.
5. Lots of Turnover
When you’re doing your pre-interview research, read recent news stories about the organisation and pay attention to signs of management turnover. Check sites such as Comparably, Glassdoor, and Indeed that provide employer reviews to get employee feedback on what the company is like to work for. Then, look at your connections on LinkedIn and OppTy. Do you have any contacts who’ve worked for the company? If so, see if they tend to stay for a long time, or bolt for a new opportunity as soon as possible. A lot of turnover can be a red flag for a toxic workplace.
6. A Prospective Boss Who Takes Pride in Being Difficult
Sometimes, hiring managers will take the guesswork out of the interview and flat out tell you that they’re hard to work for. “I have high standards,” they might say. Or, “I expect the best from myself and also from my team.”
That sounds great. Who wouldn’t want to work for a leader with high ideals and big goals? But keep in mind that when someone tells you about their leadership style, they’re not necessarily a reliable narrator. Would a compassionate but principled leader tell you that they expect the best? Probably not—they’d assume that was a given.
Evasive behaviour is also a bad sign. If hiring managers or HR folks won’t answer your questions, think twice before accepting an offer.
7. Your Gut Says No
This isn’t a science, so it can be hard to tell for certain what a company will be like to work for. Part of interviewing is learning to listen to your gut. But when you hear one thing and your instinct says another, listen to that inner voice. It might be warning you to stay away from a toxic workplace.
Even a Virtual Workplace Can Be Toxic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers whose jobs were compatible with telecommuting went remote. Some may never return to a physical office. But just because a workplace is virtual doesn’t mean that it’s supportive, healthy, or productive.
Here are a few signs that a virtual workplace is toxic:
Bullying, discrimination, or other destructive behaviour. Whether the problem originates from the boss, the staff, or the client base, environments that support these antagonistic behaviours—conveyed in direct messages or Zoom meetings, for example—can be damaging to productivity and engagement.
Poor communication. When you work from home, it’s essential to get on the same page about work priorities, expectations, and goals.
Lack of support. Even the most proactive go-getter needs guidance now and then. If your manager is rarely available and your team is hard to pin down, you’ll find it difficult to get anything done.
