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Toxic work environment is one of the main reasons Toxic culture is driving the great resignation / MITSloan Management Review layoffs. Experts identify several of its key features: unethical behavior, disrespect for employees, lack of equality, cultural and personal diversity and unity in the team.
It is clear that this is not just a bad working day. It's a living nightmare when we don't stop thinking about the tyrant boss even when we get home. This is a road to work filled with fear at the thought that we will again have to communicate with hypocritical and mean colleagues. Of course, such an atmosphere is best avoided.
Here are a few dangerous signs that are noticeable even at the interview and signal that the company you are applying for may be toxic.
Employment lawyer Donna Bollman advises checking the company with one simple question: "What happened to the previous employee?". What a person says about others when they are not around shows how he will treat you.
"If you hear nasty things about who held the position before, most likely, this is a bad sign. And if the bosses speak badly about the current employees — run. When applying for a managerial post, ask to tell in detail about everyone in the department. Any unpleasant words about the team are a signal that this company is not for you," the lawyer adds.
Kevin Calloway, head of the Department of Occupational Health Psychology at St. Mary's University, recommends paying attention to other signs of a toxic environment: "Perhaps during a visit to the company you will notice someone who keeps apart, or someone who is constantly being made fun of by others. All these are classic signs of bullying and ostracism, which indicate unacceptable behavior."With a healthy atmosphere in the company, everyone talks about their work experience quite calmly. In a toxic environment, the opposite is true: managers strictly control communication in the team, including with potential employees.
"This is a sign that the authorities do not trust their subordinates. As a result, tension arises, the internal policy of the company is tightened, feedback is becoming less and less, and managers are engaged in micromanagement," says psychologist Laura Gallagher.
She also notes that the refusal to communicate with other team members may signal an unhealthy relationship between the boss and employees. "If the representative of the company at the interview adheres to the principle "I am hiring, which means that only my opinion is important,“ he will behave in the same way in other situations. With a healthy corporate atmosphere , the phrases "Because I am the boss"does not exist," the expert adds.
There is no perfect job. But in toxic companies, managers often refuse to admit that the company or the team has room to grow.
According to psychologists, the refusal to speak honestly about weaknesses is a bad signal. "A company with a healthy atmosphere feels psychologically protected enough not to be ashamed of its vulnerability,— Laura Gallagher is sure. — If the bosses show with their whole appearance that everything is perfect, the same is expected from subordinates. Because of this, employees try to hide their mistakes, pretend that they understand everything, although this is not the case, and blame others if something goes wrong. Such toxic behavior deprives the team of vital energy."
According to Professor Manuela Prismuth, who studies toxicity in the workplace, company representatives always try to create a positive image. That is why many signs of an unhealthy atmosphere can be almost imperceptible.
The expert advises to always read between the lines when it comes to company values. Phrases in the style of "We do it this way" or "This is the way things are in our industry" show what organizational norms and standards are adhered to in the process of work. When such statements are used with a negative undertone, for example, in connection with the justification of micromanagement or concern solely for profit, the candidate definitely has something to think about. "If something seems offensive to you or does not meet your standards of morality, this company is probably not for you," the professor concludes.
To scout the situation, you can ask about the bonus system. If there are no clear criteria, it is quite possible that only those who are willing to cooperate with their superiors receive the award. Cash bonuses as a priority way to reward subordinates are also a bad sign. This may be a sign of an unethical corporate culture. For example, many banking scandals in the US have been linked to The common bonus structures that can lead to corporate corruption scandals / Quartz at Work with a corporate culture that gives the go-ahead for inappropriate behavior, say bribery or deception.
How the company's management determines success is another important indicator. If the boss talks about this in the context of a competition where there are winners and losers, perhaps he is used to cultivating rivalry among employees.
An interview is the perfect time to figure out what the employer expects from you. Lawyer Donna Bollman warns that if the company's representatives refuse to answer questions related to documents, it is worth thinking again.
"Be sure to ask if you need to sign any agreements. If yes, then ask for copies to study them before official employment. Refusal may mean that there are items in the documents that you will not like," the specialist notes. She also advises to carefully study the history of the company for past scandals.
The atmosphere in the office is one of the most important signals of toxicity or its absence. Donna Bollman recommends watching how employees communicate with each other.
"How were you met? Do the people in the office look happy? Or are they trying not to make eye contact with you? Perhaps someone is shouting in the conference room? Are the employees chatting in the break room, or do they come in quickly and leave just as quickly? All this will help to get an idea of the "inner kitchen" of the company," the expert explains.
Of course, it is not very pleasant to spend a lot of time and effort on endless interviews that lead to nothing. However, it is better to listen to your intuition and give up a position in a company where something confuses you than to go to a toxic job every day.
