How To Tell If Your Workplace Is Toxic

A sub-par retail or hospo gig is a rite of passage when you’re young, but there’s a big difference between working a crappy job and somewhere that is genuinely unhealthy.

So if you’re a bit sus on your current workplace, here are a few ways to tell if it’s toxic.
 

Leadership

An important factor in any business are the people running it. If your boss is frequently condescending, belittling, rude, distrusting (without reason), aggressive, or passive aggressive for that matter, you’ve got yourself a workplace with toxic leadership. 

However, if you like every other aspect of the company apart from the boss, it might be worth talking to the HR manager before straight up quitting. 

It’s A Revolving Door

An easy way to spot a toxic workplace is by looking at the company’s employee retention rate. If this is one of your first jobs, it can be hard to tell what a normal turnover rate is. In general, it is about 10% of employees each year, but this can vary depending on the industry and employment type. 

If the turnover rate is high, you’ll probably get a sense for it without knowing the exact stats. For example, at one of my previous workplaces we were having goodbye drinks for a different person every second Friday. 
 

They’re Serving Tea

Gossip is right up there with the most toxic workplace behaviours, especially when it makes people feel unsafe. But there is such thing as healthy gossip too. When a group of evenly-pegged coworkers have a lighthearted chat about the business and their superiors, it can create a bond between employees and even point out aspects of the business that should be addressed. 

However if you feel uncomfortable or isolated around your boss or coworkers, then that isn’t a healthy environment for you to be working in and you should probably get out of there asap. 
 

All Work, No Play

If your work-life balance is taking a hit due to your job, it might be time to reconsider your options. You deserve to work for a boss who respects you, and your time. If you’re constantly receiving after-hours messages

If this is an occurrence for you, but you still enjoy your job, there are steps you can take before throwing in the towel. Begin by only doing the work you’re actually paid for. This has recently been referred to as “quiet quitting”. For example, stop replying to work-related messages as soon as you clock off, don’t stay back unless you’ll be compensated with time off the next day, and skip meetings that aren’t mandatory. 

If you’re still not sure if your workplace is toxic after reading this, the best thing to do is trust your instincts. If you aren’t happy and feel more burnt out than inspired, it’s probably not the healthiest place to work. So this is your sign to start looking for a workplace that you’ll thrive in.