By Jonathan H. Westover, PhD
Listen to this article:
Abstract: This article discusses how to identify the signs of toxic work cultures in order to make informed choices about career opportunities and employers, by first defining a toxic workplace as one that diminishes well-being through lacking respect, trust, and fairness or tolerating unethical conduct. It then explores three common red flags - unrealistic or unclear expectations around duties, metrics, and goals create unnecessary stress; a general lack of respect and support is shown through rampant criticism but little praise, infighting, and high turnover; and the tolerance of unethical behaviors like harassment, discrimination, and health and safety risks. Examples provided include excessive workloads, disrespectful physician conduct, and lack of nurse support in healthcare; and openly joking about unpaid overtime, public colleague berating, and employee complaints of stress and unclear roles in tech startups. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of evaluating broader cultural fit than just roles when considering new jobs, as understanding warning signs through research and examples can help individuals make informed choices to advocate for healthier, more productive work environments.
The modern workforce is faced with more stress and demands than ever before. While productivity and output are crucial for company success, maintaining a healthy work-life balance and non-toxic culture is also extremely important for employee well-being, satisfaction, and retention. However, not all workplaces uphold these values. For job seekers and those considering new opportunities, it can be difficult to discern whether a potential employer fosters a genuinely supportive environment or if hidden red flags indicate deeper issues.
Today we will explore the signs of toxic work cultures based on academic research and real-world examples. By understanding these warning signs, individuals can make informed choices about their career paths and advocate for positive change within organizations.
Defining Toxicity in the Workplace
Before delving into specific red flags, it is important to define what constitutes a "toxic" work environment according to scholarly research. academics Denton, Froh, and Dobbs (2018) analyzed existing literature on workplace well-being and produced the following definition: "Toxic workplaces are defined as organizational cultures that diminish employee well-being through unethical practices, lack of integrity, lack of support for work-life balance, or other actions that demean or disrespect workers." Expanding on this, several key themes emerge regarding characteristics of toxic cultures:
Lack of respect, trust or fairness. Toxic cultures foster negativity, bullying, micromanagement or unfair treatment of employees. Basic respect for human dignity is lacking (Eissa & Lester, 2017).
Unclear or excessive expectations. Toxic environments create ambiguity around job duties or unrealistic workloads that cause undue stress and burnout (Bakker & Costa, 2014).
Poor leadership. Toxicity often stems from abusive, unsupportive or absent management that neglects employee concerns (Goldman, 2016).
Unethical or unprofessional behaviors. Toxic work cultures may involve discrimination, harassment, health and safety issues or pressure to compromise ethics (Dagley, 2020).
Work-life imbalance. Toxic workplaces do not respect boundaries between employees' professional and personal lives (Kim & Beehr, 2020).
With this framework in mind, there are telltale signs individuals can watch for when evaluating potential new employers.
Red Flag #1: Unrealistic or Unclear Expectations
One of the clearest signs of a toxic work culture is a lack of clarity or consistency around job duties and performance metrics. This introduces unnecessary stress and sets employees up to fail or feel constantly on edge. Some examples of unrealistic expectations include:
Impossible workloads. Employees consistently work more than 40 hours per week just to keep up, yet output or quality do not improve proportionately to effort.
Shifting or undefined goals. Management frequently changes priorities and KPIs without warning, making it nearly impossible to meet moving targets.
Excessive performance monitoring. Micro-managers scrutinize things like computer usage, emails, call logs so employees feel they are constantly being watched (Fitch, 2016).
Lack of onboarding or training. New hires are thrown into roles without proper introduction to processes, systems and team expectations (Ng & Feldman, 2009).
During the interview process, gauging how duties, projects and success metrics are communicated can provide clues. Beware of vague answers or recruiters who cannot clearly outline expectations. Speaking to current employees may also surface inconsistencies.
Red Flag #2: Lack of Respect and Support
A respectful, cooperative culture where workers feel valued is key for well-being and retention. Warning signs that disrespect is tolerated include:
Rampant criticism but little praise. Feedback focuses solely on negatives without acknowledgment of efforts or wins (Rock, 2007).
Infighting or "us vs. them" attitudes. Internal competition and lack of collaboration damage team morale (Laschinger & Fida, 2014).
Bad gossip about leadership. Word-of-mouth from employees indicates discontent with management styles and priorities.
High turnover rates. Frequent job changes suggest deeper issues driving people away (Grensing-Pophal, 2016).
Lack of work-life balance. Flexibility is rare and personal life commitments seen as inconvenient to work demands.
Pay attention to subtle cues and non-verbal behaviors during interviews that indicate respect for past employees. Positive work cultures uphold dignity for all.
Red Flag #3: Unethical Conduct
Toxic workplaces often tolerate unacceptable behaviors that damage employee wellness and productivity:
Bullying, abuse or harassment. Physical or verbal attacks on employees are dismissed or ignored (Harvey et al., 2007).
Discrimination or unfair treatment. Favoritism, bias against certain groups or a "boys club" mentality fosters inequity (Mathis & Jackson, 2010).
Health and safety risks. Lax policies put workers in danger through circumstances left unchecked.
Questionable financial practices. Issues like embezzlement, conflicts of interest or unrealistic sales quotas create pressure to compromise integrity (Persson & Savulescu, 2008).
Pay close attention to how recruiters respond to hypothetical scenarios involving these challenges. An ethical workplace values proper resolution over dismissal or victim blaming. Policies and reporting procedures should uphold lawful, moral conduct.
Industry Example: Toxicity in Healthcare
While toxic work cultures can appear across sectors, healthcare exemplifies unique challenges due to high-stress, emotional demands. Studies show factors like overwork, understaffing, disrespectful behaviors by physicians and lack of support negatively impact patient care quality and retention of nurses specifically (Garrosa et al., 2008).
During one nursing interview, unrealistic on-call expectations were emphasized without discussion of overtime policies. Further inquiries revealed nurses regularly worked 16+ hour shifts with only a 6-hour break before their next on-call rotation. Management expected staff to always be available yet offered no flexibility for personal life responsibilities.
The hospital struggled with high nurse turnover (25-30% annually) yet did not see excessive workloads as a systemic issue. Speaking with current nurses confirmed consistent issues around disrespect, patient safety concerns due to understaffing and an "us vs. them" attitude between teams. These red flags rightfully gave the candidate pause.
Industry Example: Toxic Startup Culture
Tech startups face their own challenges maintaining work-life balance amid fast growth and deadlines. One candidate interviewed at a 60-person company boasting a fun, high-energy culture. However, several signs pointed to deeper issues:
Employees openly joked about 100+ hour workweeks without overtime pay as a "badge of honor."
The chief product officer openly berated colleagues in meetings observed by the candidate.
Reviewing anonymized employee reviews on Glassdoor revealed frequent complaints of unhealthy stress, unclear roles and inconsistent leadership.
While the role seemed exciting, lack of respect for boundaries and mental wellness were concerning long-term. Ongoing success sometimes hides toxicity that impacts retention and productivity as businesses mature. Evaluating broader cultural fit, not just a compelling role, is important.
Conclusion
By understanding common signs of toxic work environments based on research and examples, individuals can make more informed choices about career opportunities and advocate positively within their organizations. While challenging market demands require dedication, respect for employees as people -- not just resources -- differentiates truly thriving companies. Prospective job seekers would be wise to scrutinize subtle cues indicating whether a new workplace prioritizes integrity, well-being and sustainable success for all. With awareness, individuals and industries can work to cultivate healthier, more productive cultures.
References
Bakker, A. B., & Costa, P. L. (2014). Chronic job burnout and daily functioning: A theoretical analysis. Burnout research, 1(3), 112-119.
Dagley, D. S. (2020). Identifying and Addressing Toxic Behaviors in the Workplace. Journal of Organizational Psychology, 20(1).
Denton, E. G., Froh, J. J., & Dobbs, J. L. (2018). What Makes a Healthy, Happy, and Fulfilling Life? Positive Psychology in Practice, 693-711.
Eissa, G., & Lester, S. W. (2017). Supervisor role overload and frustration as antecedents of abusive supervision: The moderating role of supervisor personality. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(3), 307-326.
Fitch, K. (2016). Workplace wellness is a misleading concept without dignity, respect and fulfillment. Journal of Business Ethics, 138(2), 245-252.
Garrosa, E., Moreno-Jiménez, B., Liang, Y., & González, J. L. (2008). The relationship between socio-demographic variables, job stressors, burnout, and hardy personality in nurses: An exploratory study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 45(3), 418-427.
Goldman, A. L. (2016). Toxic workplace behaviors. Health progress, 97(4), 45.
Grensing-Pophal, L. (2016). Retaining Top Employees. SHRM- Society for Human Resource Management.
Harvey, P., Stoner, J., Hochwarter, W., & Kacmar, C. (2007). Coping with abusive supervision: The neutralizing effects of ingratiation and positive affect on negative employee outcomes. The Leadership Quarterly, 18(3), 264-280.
Kim, H., & Beehr, T. A. (2020). Job insecurity leads to employee behaviors harmful to organizations through work–family conflict: Hindrance stressors perspective. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 118, 103363.
Laschinger, H. K., & Fida, R. (2014). A time-lagged analysis of the effect of authentic leadership on workplace bullying, burnout, and occupational turnover intentions. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 23(5), 739-753.
Mathis, R. L., & Jackson, J. H. (2010). Human resource management (13th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Ng, T. W., & Feldman, D. C. (2009). Re-examining the relationship between age and voluntary turnover. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74(3), 283-294.
Persson, I., & Savulescu, J. (2008). The perils of cognitive enhancement and the urgent imperative to enhance the moral character of humanity. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 25(3), 162-177.
Rock, D. (2007). Managing with the Brain in Mind. Strategy + Business Magazine, Issue 47.
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). Identifying Toxic Work Environments: Red Flags to Watch For. Human Capital Leadership Review, 11(3). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.11.3.11
