How To Spot A Toxic Workplace From A Job Advert

What is a toxic work environment?

Negative behaviours, such as manipulation and a poor company culture that lacks productivity, and trust, have high-stress levels and discrimination. Such an environment can make you feel psychologically unsafe and feel like you are being punished, rejected, worthless or humiliated. Over time, a toxic workplace can lead to depression and anxiety. You may feel like you can’t cope with another day of stress and rejection even though you need the job. It can also manifest in people-pleasing behaviours where you work hard to exceed expectations but are left feeling underappreciated, eventually leading to burnout. 

How do you spot red flags?

Do as much research as you can before applying and interviewing with them. There is an array of websites that you can use to seek reviews from former employees, such as Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Comparably, FairyGodBoss and Fishbowl. It’s a great start, but you must delve deeper by analysing the job descriptions. 

Become as familiar as possible with the job description. It will give you an idea of how transparent and equitable a company is and the health of its work culture. A thorough job description should include responsibilities, company commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and pay transparency.

Common toxic phrases:

"Fast-paced environment"

This is a common term used in job adverts, often to convey success, lots of opportunity and growth.  But unfortunately, for some companies it could mean they lack key resources meaning a stressful environment, so you can expect little or no onboarding, training or downtime; you'll be in at the deep end. You'll either keep up, or you'll be left behind. Consider the work-life balance and whether you'll have to wear multiple hats and possibly receive no recognition for your role. It could also mean that your new manager may need more time or dedication to show you the ropes and help you develop skills and grow within the company.  It is worth digging deep if this term is used in their adverts as to what ‘fast paced’ means to them.

"Available to work flexible hours"

Read between the lines and consider that ‘available to work flexible hours’ means that your work life will blend into your personal life. You’ll likely be expected to work late nights and weekends and constantly be on the hamster wheel and the performance race against your colleagues. Toxic cultures often normalise and even glorify a lack of healthy boundaries. For example, a hiring manager might give you a task on Friday afternoon and expect it completed by Monday morning; that's a red flag. The management team might push themselves to the point of exhaustion and expect their employees to do the same.   

Seek to understand what the boundaries are and how regularly you may be called upon outside your normal hours 

"Wearing many hats and conflicting timelines"

A combination of a fast-paced environment and being available to work flexible hours could show a company needs more leadership, is drastically understaffed, or the culture needs to be more present. It could also mean that the company needs updated systems, performance reviews, and equity and inclusion. You'd likely never complete any projects because there is no clear guidance or goals, and you are constantly pulled in many directions. You could also face contempt, and your work may never be good enough. 

This is a dangerous combination which will surely result in burnout.

"Join our family"

‘Join our family’ is another phrase that suggests no boundaries exist between your work and personal life. It could lead to psychological manipulation because family is family! It's a term that skims over essential aspects such as being inclusive and equitable. These environments can become a 'dog-eat-dog' culture where employees avoid being in the line of blame and fight to get ahead of their colleagues by not sharing essential work-related information or happily throwing someone under the bus when something goes wrong. Gaslighting can be incredibly harmful to inclusion and equity in the workplace.

"Hit the ground running"

The company is probably seeking an applicant with most of the skills outlined in the job description, so expect little room for growth. You'll need to find your own feet; it's doubtful a company will have onboarding guidance or training available. You could also be overqualified for the role. If you get to the interview stage, you'll be able to pick up the energy of the workplace through the body language and general ambience of those already working there. Being left to your own devices could lead to demotivation and disillusionment. Your new employer will have high expectations from day one, if you’re looking to learn and grow, this type of job might not deliver that for you.

"No salary information"

Countries are already passing pay transparency laws requiring companies to include payscales in job advertisements and descriptions. If the company does not adhere to regional laws, it raises a red flag. They could also use 'hiring remote talent' as a poor and illegal excuse, and salary rises, promotion cycles, performance reviews, and starting salaries become inequitable. 

A toxic work culture presents the most common reason why employees quit their jobs. It's a breeding ground for negativity, stress, and conflict. It can lead to decreased productivity and morale and even severely affect an employee's physical and mental health. 

Recognising the signs of an unhealthy workplace and taking steps to protect yourself and your career development is essential. Consider if you want to work somewhere that is under resourced, lacks training and development opportunities, or expects results almost immediately.