Worker, Beware: How to Spot the Signs of a Toxic Workplace

When the Sunday scaries start creeping up on you every night of the week, it might be time to reconsider your job. It could be burnout_{How to Recover From Burnout by Switching to Tech}. It could be the wrong career path. But it could also be your body telling you that you’re in a toxic work environment.

What we mean by “toxic”

What is toxic, as opposed to merely frustrating? According to MIT’s Sloan School of Management, a toxic work environment is characterized by five aspects: it’s disrespectful, non-inclusive, unethical, cutthroat, and abusive. A toxic workplace goes beyond having a bad boss: usually, the issues are systemic.

Signs you’re in a toxic job

What does a toxic environment look like in practice? Here are five telling signs.

1. You don’t feel respected.

You’re haunted by self doubt: are you the problem? If you’re constantly led to believe that you aren’t smart enough, strategic enough, or hard-working enough, while receiving minimal support, your workplace may be toxic. 

Micromanagement is another sign that you are not respected or trusted. A boss who demands to review every minor task can gaslight you into thinking you’re incompetent.

2. You feel like the odd one out.

Is there a distinct chill when you walk into your workplace? Do your teammates gossip, exclude, or make disrespectful personal comments (about race, gender, nationality or other aspects)? Are there obvious favorites that get better assignments or promotions?

These are all signs of a workplace that is not inclusive or civil. In a healthy workplace, you should feel empowered to go to your boss or HR to report inappropriate comments or behavior. But if you feel like that won’t make a difference, the issues may be systemic.

3. Your job is taking over your life.

You’re expected to be on call even when you’re not at work. You’re discouraged from taking vacation days or time off for obligations outside of work. All your colleagues arrive early and stay late. 

If that sounds like your workplace, it might be the culture in your industry, or it may be something more. What’s definitely toxic: if your colleagues are intensely competitive to the point of refusing to share valuable information, if they “forget” to invite you to important meetings, or if they tattle on you when you make mistakes. 

You shouldn’t fear your coworkers! A healthy workplace should be built on trust with your fellow employees. And it should include healthy boundaries to allow you to rest when you need to.

4. Your boss is a bully.

Does your manager berate you for slightest mistake? Do they resort to insults or name calling? Or maybe you don’t get yelled at, but instead you constantly have to endure a condescending or sarcastic tone. All of these are signs of an emotionally abusive boss. 

If your boss acts like a monster, you could try to do an internal transfer at the company. But a company that doesn’t check or discipline abusive bosses may have bigger issues with culture.

5. Your company is unethical.  

Is your company playing tricks? Maybe it’s cutting corners on the quality of services or products. It could be ignoring regulations or engaging in “creative” accounting. Or maybe they are directly pressuring you to lie to customers or use unethical sales tactics. 

When your company is engaging in shady behavior, there isn’t much you can do without becoming a whistleblower and accepting the fallout (including losing your job). A workplace that lies to customers or regulators won’t treat its employees well, either.

Should you leave?

Ongoing stress from a toxic workplace can take a lasting toll on your physical and mental health.

It’s not worth it. If you found yourself nodding along to more than one item on the list above, it’s time to start looking around for a new job. 

Yes, you can find a non-toxic job

There are many, many non-toxic jobs and companies out there. You have options_{Why You Hate Your Job and What to Do About It}! 

Kyle_{In QA and Never Looking Back: Kyle Kolodziej’s TripleTen Story} is just one example. He had worked many jobs that weren’t very satisfying: sous chef, food truck operator, wine and liquor sales rep, project manager. He wanted a career he could commit to. But after getting a second degree in cyber security and starting to work in that field, Kyle quickly realized that it was the worst fit by far. He was constantly on call, fixing easily preventable errors, and he was on the edge of burnout. It felt like an actual curse: “Warlocks in D&D or World of Warcraft — they do soul drain. It felt like I was the target of that very consistently,” Kyle recalled. 

He eventually found his path in QA Engineering via TripleTen’s bootcamp, and landed a job in a small fintech company. When asked if the decision to switch to tech was a difficult one, his first response was a lengthy, hearty laugh, followed by an unambiguous “No.” Comparing his current role to his previous one, Kyle says, “I'm way happier.”

I'm way happier.

Kyle Kolodziej TripleTen grad

Kyle isn’t the only one who made a successful career switch. A bootcamp can help you land a role in tech that can come with significant perks, like generous entry-level salaries and great odds of finding remote positions_{Work From Home. It’s Good for You.}. 

TripleTen’s recent Employer Report found that nearly 80% of decision makers are already hiring candidates with non-traditional backgrounds, and 86% were confident or very confident in hiring bootcamp grads for entry-level roles. And our most recent Outcomes Report found that 87% percent of our students get a job in tech within six months of graduation at a median salary of $76,000.

Learn more about a career in tech

What is it really like to work in tech? Listen to the TripleTen podcast for stories from bootcamp students that switched out of dead-end jobs and found their place in tech.