10 Signs Your Job Is Toxic
They may be more subtle than you think…
Working in entertainment, I’ve experienced my share of toxic workplaces and inappropriate bosses. “You should be thankful to work here” and “a million people would kill for this job” are the battle cries of record label execs across Los Angeles, making the music industry a cesspool of bad habits and false promises.
Unfortunately, these red flags aren’t unique to the entertainment industry. Toxicity and overworked employees have become the norm in corporate America — but are you a victim of a toxic workplace? If any of the statements below sound familiar, it might be time to look for a new gig.
#1 — Promising Promotions
You’ve voiced your unhappiness to your boss and proven your worth time and time again. While your boss empathizes, you’re told to sit tight because a promotion is coming your way — amazing right?! Not so fast. Don’t let yourself be fooled into an extended tenure at a company in hopes that the job isn’t a dead end. A boss that truly wants to keep you and help you move up in the ranks won’t keep you waiting for months on end. Remember, words are cheap — always look for action instead.
#2 — Turnover
Are you working with a completely different set of people than the group you started with? Even worse… have there been multiple regimes during your time there? You may take pride in being the employee who’s been at the company the longest, but you may want to examine why you’re the only one remaining loyal. If your boss keeps talking about a new era and promising things will get better once they fill a few openings… RUN.
#3 — Old School Mentality
With the switch to WFH, any company with an emphasis on “butts in chairs” or “pulling long hours” has become incredibly outdated. Good bosses (and companies) reward working smarter and want their employees to have a balance between their work and personal lives. Employees that work for extremely long hours are not a sign of a dedicated team, but an overworked and poorly managed one.
#4 — Meeting Packed Days
“This meeting could have been an email”
This plight is all too familiar, but an overabundance of meetings usually means that the team is mismanaged and communication is poor. A good workplace will allow for a balanced workday and respect the time of its employees. The need to “sidebar” or have the same meeting over and over for the sake of keeping tabs on employees is counterproductive and decreases morale.
#5 — Active Status Obsessed
Just when we thought working from home gave more freedom and balance to most employees — enter the activity status monitors! Similar to red flag #3, if your boss is obsessed with making sure you’re “active” on Teams it’s a sign of distrust.
#6 — Ignored HR Reports
Unfortunately, this one is more common than you’d think. I personally reported my supervisor to HR multiple times for inappropriate behavior. The head of my company was reported by a half dozen women in the company, but all of these reports were ignored and covered up while the issues persisted. You should never feel unsafe or mistreated at your company, so if HR isn’t helping to maintain that safe environment, it’s time to leave. Your mental health is more important than the job.
#7 — Diversity Issues
Take a quick scan of your company. Are all the higher-ups straight white men? Are all of the assistants and secretaries women? Is there a shocking lack of representation within the company at every level? RED FLAG. Self-awareness within a company is surprisingly hard to come by and unfortunately, doesn’t change much unless it is addressed at the highest levels.
#8 — New Job, Same Salary
So often with high turnover, employers will revamp job descriptions, bestowing more responsibility on employees without reflecting those responsibilities in a new salary. At one point I was working at a record label in Los Angeles doing the job of 5 employees on a salary of one poorly paid coordinator. Any good boss will either recognize this imbalance and act accordingly (raise, bonus, etc…) or have the forethinking to hire a bigger team before it becomes a problem.
#9 —Out Of Touch Leadership
Your manager is responsible for making decisions that affect the company on a larger scale, but they also should understand the inner workings of the company. This includes knowing what everyone's job entails and taking responsibility when things don't go according to plan. At the end of the day, they are the last line of defense, and the extra power and higher paycheck come with extra responsibilities.
#10 — Lacking Logistics
Imagine, it’s your first day and no one gives you a computer. No one facilitates an introduction to the rest of the staff or talks to you about your benefits. Again, this one is all too common, even with larger companies. Having someone to handle operations is crucial and a lack of organization in that area is a surefire sign of miscommunication and greater disorganization in the rest of the company. Save yourself the trouble and get out.
Have you experienced any (or all) of these red flags? Let me know in the comments what industry you work in and what your biggest red flags have been! 🚩🚩🚩
