Yeah, It's Time to Quit - Part Two: Toxicity

“It’s just how we do things around here,” they said. “You’re blowing things out of proportion,” they said. “This is the way the industry works,” they said. And yet, deep down you’ve known things at work haven’t been healthy. The mental alarms have started ringing louder and louder, and now you’re here: wondering if your job is truly toxic_{Worker, Beware: How to Spot the Signs of a Toxic Workplace}, and if so, if it’s time to quit.

So let’s dive into that. Here are the warning signs that there might be toxicity in your job as well as the red flags indicating that you should seriously consider quitting.

The warning signs

Now, some friction or difficulty at work is perfectly normal. Companies are built by people, and people are fallible. After all, who among us hasn’t accidentally slept through an alarm or forgotten to buy that one ingredient they really needed from the grocery store?

However, if you’re worried that you might be in a toxic workplace, there are a few indicators of  toxicity. The key here is their duration and degree.

Miscommunication

This is something present throughout companies, and it’s an inevitable product of people being, well, people. If there’s an occasional misunderstanding, or if someone fails to fully clarify a point every once in a while, you’re likely just handling the normal realities of working with fellow humans. But if vital information is intentionally withheld, colleagues refuse to respond to clarifying questions, or if there is little to no cross-communication across teams, you might be in a toxic environment.

Micromanagement

This is another indicator that only becomes worrying when it gets out of hand. If you’ve got a big project that’s of vital importance to the company, your manager can likely be forgiven for getting a little too hands-on. If, on reflection, you can see that your manager tends to respect you and give you the space to do your job, you’re probably fine. However, micromanagement can be a sign of toxicity at work when you feel like the vast majority of your decisions are second guessed, when your instructions are restrictive and patronizing, or when your work is regularly interrupted because management keeps checking in on you.

Negativity

Rough days happen. A project can hit irksome roadblocks. A company can have a not-so-stellar quarter. It’s perfectly healthy and understandable that people would respond to setbacks with negative emotions. Negativity only becomes toxic when it starts getting rampant — casual conversations with your colleagues are mostly complaints, and there’s a general sense of dissatisfaction leading to low morale across the company, for example. If no one seems to find any satisfaction in their work, and if you find yourself slipping into chronic negativity about your job, you might be in a toxic environment.

When you know it’s time to quit

While all the above are things to keep an eye out for, and they can indicate toxicity in a workplace based on their extent, they’re not the immediate red flags telling you that you really do need to get the heck out of there. But there are those major indicators, too.

Bullying, harassment, and other hostile behavior

If your boss has yelled at you for a minor infraction, if you are the target of “jokes” at the expense of your identity, or if the feedback you get is more insulting than constructive, you seriously need to look at where you’re working. Hostility is one of the most overt signs of a toxic workplace, and rarely (if even ever) is a position worth the psychological damage that results from what is, essentially, abuse.

Unethical behavior

You should never be asked to do something that clashes with your moral code. Doctoring numbers for the sake of the business, pushing messaging that you know to be false, and engaging in practices that fundamentally exploit customers rather than provide a service or a product — none of it is worth it. If you’re at a company that is unconcerned about ethics, you should start looking at ways to get out. An organization that doesn’t respect laws and regulations won’t have compunctions about severely mistreating its workers_{More Than Money: Ditch Your Bad Job to Reclaim Professional Dignity}, either.

High turnover rate

If the company can’t hold on to its employees, there’s a reason why. This could be poor work-life balance, disrespect from management, or just too much stress — each departing worker will likely have their own rationale_{Why You Hate Your Job and What to Do About It} for their exit. If you’re getting an inkling that your work might be toxic, look at how well your company retains its workers. If people are leaving at an alarming rate, then they might know something or might have experienced something you’ve been thus-far insulated from. A large number of people abandoning the company is a strong indication you might want to follow suit.

What to do — step one

If you think your job is toxic, and you’re wondering if it’s time to make a change, we can help. Our quick career-switch quiz can help you get clarity on whether it’s time for you to pursue a new path.