A toxic workplace can be an absolute nightmare; unfortunately, we’ll all likely experience one in our careers. Interestingly enough, it can be hard to tell you’re in a poisonous work environment when you’re immersed in it. Still, there are some reliable red flags that signal you’ve landed in a hellish landscape of toxicity. From communication failures to a litany of unreasonable demands, here are 9 warning signs that show you should be focused on escape.
If team members are disappearing at record rates, it might be time to browse Glassdoor and see what former employees say about the culture at your company. And while this info might be evident or easy to get if you’re a current employee, what if you’re still a candidate? Ask the recruiter about turnover and find out if the company does exit interviews. The answers can help you decide if you should ask more probing questions about why people leave and what drives company changes. If communication at the company is strong, this should be an easy answer for a recruiter or hiring manager.
If there isn’t a strong communication structure in place at the organization, your job satisfaction is doomed. Communication breakdowns can be insidious and destructive, and a lack of or confusing communication channels can kill productivity and job satisfaction. Common problems include people talking in circles and team members that avoid asking clarifying questions until the last minute. And, without consistent use of the best mode of communication, messages are easily lost (think about all the times you received droning emails that would have been an easy 10-minute meeting or attended an hour-long meeting to cover a topic suited for a 4-bullet email). If these communication breakdowns repeat themselves, it’s a pretty obvious red flag that can mean a toxic workplace.
Do you find yourself in a suspicious number of “all-hands” meetings or workshops with consultants to “help reimagine” some significant aspect of the company strategy? Unless you’re working at a startup and thrive on this kind of pinballing, the results on your workday can be draining. Leaders should know to start with organizational change management. While it’s one thing to host educational sessions to help staff grow professionally, align as a team, and solve/prevent organizational issues, it’s another to disrupt workflow regularly to try out the strategies in the latest best-seller from Barnes and Noble. So, if your gut reaction is to groan when you see a new meeting request packed with the latest cliches and buzzwords, the directionlessness and uncertainty might not be for you.
It’s easy to get swept up in revision after revision and shift from project to project if you don’t have clear and consistent expectations from your supervisor, client, or project manager; this never-ending cycle of overworking can quickly make your life miserable. Flexibility is one thing, but accepting too many revisions for revision’s sake isn’t productive—and while continuous feedback might make some people feel like they’re doing something, there has to be a limit. If projects regularly can’t rest after you meet the goals set out for the job, revision fatigue will quickly take out all possible pleasure.
There are many reasons projects are scrapped, priorities change, and there’s hand-wringing about why things can’t get done faster. However, if the persistent solution is to throw more resources at a project and every task takes place on a tight deadline, you might face bad (or a lack of) project management. Maybe project managers are under an unfair amount of pressure, whether top-down or self-imposed. They could lack the context, an understanding of the work, or have a team that isn’t as collaborative as they need to be so roadblocks or delays are communicated on time. In any case, the longer this goes on, the more skewed expectations become, and the more morale sinks, and the more likely it is that the workplace is toxic.
Clear boundaries are essential to maintaining a healthy work/life balance. After all, the majority of us don’t want or expect to be “on call” around the clock, and this kind of routine can lead to skyrocketing stress levels and crippling anxiety disorders. Besides, if expectations weren’t clear in the interview process or promotion agreement, your boss shouldn’t expect you to work outside work hours. If the agreement changes once you’re on the clock, and a serious conversation with your manager doesn’t help build balance, think more about what you want in a workplace culture. Burnout doesn’t lead to breakthroughs.
Thoughtful communication is good, and management needs to know how to communicate appropriately with staff. But, if communication is scripted to keep ideas and complaints at arm’s length, fostering trust and creativity is impossible. So, pay attention to the way corporate talks. Are they overly precautious, robotic, and disingenuous? Have supervisors stopped connecting with teams and individuals on a human level? If so, the landscape can rapidly become uninspired and demotivational.
Even if you genuinely don’t like the limelight, it’s important to be recognized for doing good work. Recognition isn’t just a self-esteem booster; it’s good for your reputation and helps your peers see you as a competent team member. Your manager should care about how they present you to the company and how you like to receive recognition, and they should want to make sure you and others know about the good work you do (if good work isn’t taking place, well, a performance review might be in order). If an honest discussion with your supervisor doesn’t help you feel better about things (or isn’t possible), you can get demoralized fast.
Do you notice the least effective employees with bottom-ranking levels of self-awareness and communication skills are rapidly promoted into leadership? Maybe you’ve observed similar traits among those who climb the ranks regardless of competence or soft skills (e.g., promotions for people who never say “no,” drive aggressive deadlines, or know how to perform on a public stage, etc.). This is undoubtedly toxic and might be the biggest offender of all, because once an organization is structured this way, every other problem that makes a workplace unbearable can be exacerbated.
When swimming in it, it’s not always easy to identify a toxic workplace. So, regularly take stock of your circumstances, how you feel, and how much of any negative feeling relates to your workday. Consider your options when you notice systemic issues or challenges that never change. Plenty of great companies would love to have you on board, and any time is a good time to explore something that can improve your happiness.
When you’re ready, think about updating your resume and finding a job you’ll look forward to working at.