It is unfortunate that work—a necessary evil in life, unless you’re born under an extremely lucky star—also comes in a variety of shades of toxicity. So, not only are you by statistical proxy forced to do it, it sucks too.

But, there are ways and means to avoid it by keeping an eye on the signs—signs that women of Reddit were recently pointing out as indicative of get the heck out of there right now. Or, at least at your earliest convenience. But no later than 2 work weeks.

#1

“We wear a lot of hats around here.”

Translation – “You will be stuck with a lot of c**p that is not in your job description, but nobody else wants to do!”.

Image credits: SaltConnection1109

#2

If your coworker gossips about other coworkers, they will gossip about you.

Image credits: patronsaintofweed

#3

“we are like a family here!”.

Image credits: Gothic_Nerd

Many people are more than aware of what toxicity is and how it manifests in a workplace. Sadly, It’s all too real for 1 in 5 employees who have to battle toxic environments on the daily.

Yep, nearly 20% of employees report having to fight against toxic work conditions like failure to act on feedback, ignoring work-life balance and unfair treatment, just to name a few.

#4

If there are a suspiciously low number of people who have been with the company for more than 2 years.

Also any kind of “employee appreciation” that isn’t an annual event that legacy staff looks forward to.

Image credits: AerinHawk

#5

The only friends and romantic partners the employees have are each other, not anyone else outside of work.

Image credits: electricsugargiggles

#6

When a bunch of staff are in cliques and it feels more like highschool than a professional work environment.

Image credits: Slight-Ask-4160

It goes without saying that toxicity at the workplace is anything but good. It is known to lead to increased absenteeism, reduced productivity and lower levels of enthusiasm. And that’s just the start. Ultimately, I can start seeping into other areas in life, affecting your general satisfaction and mental health.

#7

When they’re late to do your scheduled job interview.

Image credits: tinerene

#8

Husband-wife managerial team. Run!

Image credits: kelvinside_men

#9

When the managers and other decision makers are bubbly and happy during meetings while the rank-and-file drones are exhausted, quiet and disengaged.

Image credits: GalaxiGazer

And that’s the key concept here: happiness. There is an argument of how folks are poisoning themselves by working in toxic environments as it gradually affects an employee’s happiness. And if you’re not happy as a human being, other mental health problems start coming out of the woodwork.

#10

Cult like reverence required for the leaders or founders.

Image credits: BookGirl67

#11

Where even newcomers stop smiling after 3 days.

Image credits: Dr__Pheonx

#12

When you start dreading the weekend being over because you don’t want to go to work on Monday. Beyond just a general “I love my free time” feeling.

Image credits: PancakeQueen13

It is important to note that there are no clear criteria as to what a toxic environment is outside of it affecting one’s well-being.

One person might feel uncomfortable with a manager, while others have no problem with them. Same goes for the company culture, the employees, the corporate structure and pretty much anything else. It is ultimately subjective.

Whatever the case, something always has to change.

#13

“Work hard, play hard.” Hard pass.

Image credits: melligator

#14

“the last person that worked here walked out and quit”.

Image credits: anon

#15

When there’s no real training, just ‘ask someone if you’re not sure’ – and then whoever you’re asking tells you by rote, telling you ‘click this, then that’ without demonstrating a proper understanding of *why* tasks should be done in a certain way. When they can’t answer any questions about the process and aren’t enabled to problem-solve, it reflects micromanagement and lack of communication, and usually a disinterest in lower level staff.

Image credits: blinky84

Toxic work environments are best avoided before entering them, and there are several telltale signs to look out for.

One of the biggest and easier to stop red flags is the turnover rate. These are most often caused by poor management, negative work culture, or lack of employee support. In the long run, not only do the employees suffer, but the company’s bottom line does so too.

#16

Poor communication. Everything is gossip, and you have to know the right people to get any information.

Image credits: jeng52

#17

They won’t do anything in writing. For example, during my interview they mentioned it would be a fully remote position once onboarded/90 days on the job. I brought it up to my hiring manager once I past the date and they mentioned that “they never said that” and “it’s not in writing so they wouldn’t honor it”.

Image credits: Alternative_Swing_47

#18

When the people who smoke cigs get 10 extra breaks but if I’m caught checking the time I’m told to put my phone away ?.

Image credits: Formal-Rock-7609

Poor communication is another big one. In ideal cases, company staff that communicates clearly, openly and honestly foster trust and collaboration. And if you don’t do that, then there is little to no communication and so nothing realistically gets done, fostering a culture of passive aggression, contempt and just generally nobody having a good time.

#19

Everyone is joking about the work environment being super tough and people developing various ailments from it (e.g. migraines or stomach issues). These are not jokes, these are warnings.

Image credits: JankyRobot42069

#20

I always ask about team building during the interview. “Beers after work” makes it toxic to me.

Image credits: mermaidpaint

#21

People crying at their laptop.
Yes people was me.

Image credits: LimitFree4775

Micromanage is also often cited as a sign of toxic management. It’s when a superior overdoes it with their control, surveillance and management of work related tasks delegated to other employees. It shows lack of trust and takes away the opportunity for employees to prove their potential for ownership. On top of that, it stifles growth, and, again, nobody’s happy.

#22

Women putting other women down. It may sound obvious, but it can be hard to catch at first. Making jabbing comments, making you feel bad for not working on days where you aren’t scheduled, judging you, questioning you on why you do things the way you do them, trying to make you feel stupid. I know it sounds like nothing you can’t just blow off, but it really makes the work time miserable.

Image credits: North-Currency7130

#23

When they treat the interview process like a reality show and invite 20 people all at once and you go through rounds where at the end they have you line up in two rows and announce which row will continue the interview process.

No thanks.

Image credits: NaiadoftheSea

#24

Getting singled out by your boss/manager in team meetings for making trivial mistakes. This s**t only embarrasses people and doesn’t help them at all.

Image credits: catladywithallergies

It is not unreasonable to think that unreasonable demands are a part of a truly toxic environment. These are time consuming, draining or just flat out annoying—and it doesn’t get the job done, which entails a whole lot of trouble. It’s even worse if the employee is provided zero support under these conditions.

#25

No one takes their PTO, and if you do you’re given a nasty side eye.

Image credits: Horangi1987

#26

My workplace is very toxic but they’re good at pretending. They blow a bunch of smoke up our a**es for all the holidays and history months to make us feel like they care. So right now it’s apparently women’s history month and they have all these signs around about appreciating women and bla bla bla but I think it’s hilarious because I’m pregnant and they don’t offer anything substantial for expecting mothers.

Image credits: tans1saw

#27

So called family members will start micro managing everything you do.

Image credits: introvertboyme

Believe it or not, lack of opportunities for growth is also considered a toxic workplace trait. It doesn’t matter if it’s structural (there are realistically no other opportunities) or artificial (someone is stifling your progress), all of it leads to dissatisfaction and a need to change that.

Oh, and also, toxic employees—they don’t help. Red flag.

#28

You dread every shift and come up with excuses to avoid work. Or you’re angry while you’re there and take a while to come down from it when you’re off the shift.

Image credits: lovelycosmos

#29

Immediately seeing/being excluded by a clique from day 1 of a new job. Or being treated poorly by new colleagues in a new job. Any decent workplace should have a culture where the people you’ll work with want and try to get to know you as a person, learning what you contribute to the team.

Relatedly, managers who “don’t want to get involved” in things that are workplace issues. It’s their job to establish and enforce norms and boundaries.

Image credits: redwood_canyon

#30

When they offer you a signing bonus and you have to stay for a certain period of time. I’d prefer no signing bonus and my freedom. It happened twice and now I know better.

So, what are your thoughts on any of this? Share your takes and stories in the comment section below!

And if you’ve already done that, then you can also check out the original Reddit thread or our other works on the topic.

#31

When a guy can sexually harass a woman at the workplace, she goes and complains about it to management, management makes *her* transfer to a different area to settle the matter, then not even a year later they promote HIM as manager over her area she was forced to transfer to, thus making her eventually quit because her complaints didn’t mean squat when it’s one of upper managements bros.

This happened at my workplace a couple years ago to a friend of mine I worked with. Horrible stuff. All of the upper management and area managers are apart of this blatant good ol boy system and it is horrible. They only promote those type of guys too. Anytime they promote a women it’s because they got forced into it or because one of those good ol boys wants to get their spouses in the role.

Image credits: AnEpicHibiscus

#32

One very tall person stands at their cubical all day and watches everything everyone does. So very creepy! Plus, he hides in the bathroom when he sees customers drive up.

#33

When you’re the only woman in the company ??‍♀️.

#34

Tell a fake lie to only one work person, an see how fast/far it goes and if it catches you.

#35

Always check the Glassdoor reviews. Look out for non specifics. “The culture is so great here!” If the culture’s so great, why don’t you have specific details? .

#36

Yelling, not to be heard over machinery or ambient noise, but to be heard over another person.

“Hey dude, grab me the wrench will ya!” is one thing.

“I can’t believe you didn’t balance the register correctly! How hard can it possibly be?!” is quite another.

…seems obvious, but apparently not to everyone. Take care of yourselves, ladies.

#37

No HR department. Run for the hills.

#38

Bosses talking s**t to you about your peers behind their back. .

#39

“You’re not the first and you won’t be the last” when a complaint about workplace bullying was made.

#40

Red flag: HR wears multiple hats. Like, there’s no reason HR and sales are the same person. Total conflict.

#41

Everyone is either crying, panicked, or unhappy in general. They have to skip lunch breaks (on hourly pay) to keep up. Most employees are just coasting but hoping to find another job soon. People don’t feel appreciated for their hard work so all start quiet quitting. This is my current job lol.

#42

Celebrating the week the boss is on vacation.

#43

When people take credit for other employee’s work.

#44

If you ask the employees if they like working there and they can never give a straight up answer, high amount of turn overs, managers always stressed out, a lot of d**g abuse from stress, people that train you always annoyed and impatient due to training alot, stories of people just walking out.

#45

High turnover .

#46

Someone that has been there for quite a while quits and for the next six months everything that goes wrong was their fault because of…… just because.

#47

Being hired on the spot.

#48

The manager is smiling too much while team members have poker faces.

#49

Leadership becoming defensive when new ideas are recommended.

#50

Ask them what their SOPs are, also ask them what their ORG chart looks like. If they don’t have that they don’t have it together.

#51

Multiple people have quit because of one person but that person still works here.

Image credits: somebodysproblems

#52

“you are expected to come to the office 3 days a week”.

For jobs that don’t require a physical presence. ?.

#53

Owner’s daughter is head of HR.

#54

“Don’t tell x what you’re making because (insert b******t reason here)”.

#55

On day one they ask you to lie to customers and say you aren’t new, just new to their project, because they don’t want their customers to know (and worry) about the high turnover rate.

I regret to this day, not walking away from that job on that day. Never again.

#56

When the manager treats the new person like a prize, and everyone else differently.

#57

If your coworkers are weird about sharing their wage information !! like i wanna know so we can make sure we’re ALL being paid correctly and within reason.

#58

High turn over or everyone being very young/newish to work force (tells me they likely pay not enough and will try to take advantage of you at every opportunity).

#59

If you ever get that funny feeling in your gut, it’s there for a reason.

#60

When coworkers won’t answer their phone, texts, or emails.

#61

Either they offer you the job you right after your interview or they take 5+ interviews including unpaid “working interviews” (a.k.a projects, assigned work samples, etc) to decide. I’ve had both and both places had their issues. It’s better to be somewhere in the middle.

#62

Low pay but expects “total ownership.” No thanks .

#63

Entire departments quitting together. People warning you not to work there. Unusual employment policies.

#64

If there’s a relationship in the workplace. In my last job, my manager was dating the manager of the other store two minutes walk away from ours. He used to come in and berate all of us on her behalf when it should have ben her raising her complaints. It’s highly unprofessional and quite toxic.

#65

Change in upper leadership that then gets split into multiple positions. Nobody knows who to go to and then the “co directors” or whatever position argue over who has more authority while chaos reigns.
Source: boredpanda.com