Is your office toxic? 16 red flags you should never ignore

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A safe, inspiring environment that promotes development, cooperation, and production should be found in the workplace.

On the other hand, a toxic workplace can negatively impact your personal and career lives.

But what are the signs of a workplace with a toxic culture? Some are obvious, and some aren't.

Key takeaways:

You'll frequently notice indicators of a toxic workplace, such as low staff morale and a general air of uncertainty.

Poor communication, a high personnel turnover rate, and a lack of openness are among the significant indicators.

In a toxic work environment, communication is frequently haphazard and imprecise.

For example, it's possible that significant updates or modifications to corporate policies aren't properly conveyed to every employee, which can cause miscommunication and confusion.

Otherwise, communication about important changes in your own team might occur.

The absence of clear communication routes might also facilitate the propagation of rumours and gossip, which is never a good thing.

Innovation and creativity are hampered in a toxic workplace where management rejects or ignores new ideas. Employees who are afraid of criticism or retaliation may be discouraged from speaking up or making suggestions for change.

However, it should be noted that the reasons for the rejection of change proposals are equally important.

For example, if the business is simply unable to make those changes based on poor market conditions resulting in decreased revenue or other factors beyond their control, then this could be the reality.

As an example, more and more Australian businesses are investing in electric standing desks from local manufacturers such as UpDown, Omnidesk, and Desky.

A good standing desk is quite the cost to bear so a business may only be able to afford cheaper alternatives from Office Works can be considered.

In contrast, if management has a mindset that opposes change, then that's a different story.

No one likes to be micromanaged.

Micromanagement is overbearing control over the activities and work processes of employees.

An employee may feel stifled and unable to make their own judgements if, for example, a boss is always monitoring every part of their work.

This leads to a lack of trust, and lower production and morale.

If you just joined a new company or hear through the grapevine that colleagues in your own workplace are frequently leaving, then it could be a sign of a distasteful culture.

There are obviously reasons why the business can't retain its staff.

Workers are more likely to leave a hazardous workplace in search of a more wholesome setting. High turnover can take many different forms.

Some examples are top performers leaving because they don't feel appreciated or have possibilities for growth, or there is a significant rise in departure interviews where employees complain about the work environment.

Workers in toxic environments may believe that neither management nor their peers are there for them.

For example, feelings of loneliness and burnout may result from a worker who is overburdened with work but gets no support or recognition from their manager.

Rigid and inflexible workplace policies can lead to employee dissatisfaction and frustration.

For example, a company's tight attendance standards may cause feelings of injustice and unhappiness if they are enforced without taking into account individual circumstances such as health concerns or family situations.

Unhealthy work environments can result from negative leadership practices, including favouritism and inconsistency.

Examples include management who treats certain employees better than others or a supervisor who frequently modifies expectations without giving clear direction, which causes confusion and demoralisation.

People who operate in hazardous environments frequently shirk their accountability for their conduct.

For instance, when a team misses a deadline, rather than addressing the underlying issue, the blame might be placed on outside forces or scapegoats, which keeps any viable solutions from being put into action.

Workers' physical and mental health may suffer significantly from a toxic work environment.

Examples include physical symptoms such as headaches or insomnia brought on by elevated stress levels, or feelings of depression and worry brought on by ongoing pressure and hostility at work.

If you have a colleague who confides their work-related issues with you, then there is probably a good reason for it.

This can be an obvious sign to identify, but in a toxic work environment, management might neglect to recognise or acknowledge employees' contributions.

Managers who ignore employee concerns and well-being, or who discard employee ideas or input without giving them any thought, are examples of this.

Have you ever had a colleague who couldn't get that promotion despite being great at their job for years?

Overworking is celebrated and viewed as a badge of honour in toxic work situations, not as a risk to the well-being and output of employees.

Workers could experience pressure to put in long hours and compromise their personal lives and well-being in order to live up to the irrational standards that management has set.

Poorly defined roles and responsibilities, misunderstandings, or frequent changes in duties can lead to a workplace that is inefficient and confusing.

Employees not knowing to whom to report or being assigned tasks beyond their job description without the necessary assistance or training are two examples.

It also shows that management are not doing what they should be doing - people and task management.

While conflicts are unavoidable in any work setting, they frequently go unsolved or worsen in toxic work situations.

Examples include supervisors who play favourites in mediation or disregard employee complaints, which breeds animosity and a negative work environment.

When leaders routinely place blame instead of addressing the underlying causes of problems, it's easy to spot an unhealthy work environment.

When errors are penalised instead of viewed as teaching moments, it creates a climate of discouragement and dread.

Keep an eye out for situations in which your superiors are ready to assign blame while evading responsibility for their own actions.

Poor managerial decision-making can have detrimental effects on the entire company in a toxic work environment.

Examples include squandering money on pointless endeavours, failing to notice market trends, hiring the wrong people for a job, or basing choices on preconceived notions rather than factual information.

This sign won't be too obvious since there are likely to be underlying reasons, so it pays to be careful before conclusions are drawn.

A hurried or ineffective hiring procedure can create a toxic workplace by selecting unfit candidates for open positions or leaving positions empty for long periods of time.

Examples include drawn-out interview procedures that discourage competent applicants or hasty recruiting choices that ignore crucial credentials or cultural fit.

In contrast, a hiring process that takes excessively long might indicate that the company has too much red tape or is inefficient.