5 Signs to Look Out For To Avoid a Toxic Work Environment

As seen on Forbes.

Interviewing for a new job gives you a sneak peek of the company’s working environment, whether it offers a healthy work-life balance, and whether you should prepare for a toxic workplace situation.

A 2023 survey by the American Psychology Association among 2,500 employed adults revealed that 19% of respondents say their workplace is “very” or “somewhat” toxic, and those who reported having a toxic workplace also said it negatively impacted their mental health. 

This is why it’s important to spot red flags during your job interview so you can dodge the bullet earlier on. Here are five things to keep an eye on during interviews to identify if the workplace is potentially toxic: 

1. The Interview Is Way Too Easy

If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. If getting the job is way too easy, for example, they offer you the job after just one interview, this may seem suspicious. That kind of desperation to hire someone could mean that the workplace is terrible because they’re willing to just take anybody for the role.

The lack of scrutiny from hiring managers may indicate a lack of concern for the skills and experience of candidates. And once you start working for the team, you may notice poor performance from team members and managers and have a conflict with the team, which leads to a toxic work environment.

Although there is no set rule on how many interviews you must undergo before an offer is extended to you, the 2 to 3 may be a good indicator. According to Indeed, the higher the position, the more interviews can be expected.

2. They Don’t Let You Meet Other People 

Aside from making sure that you have the right skill set and experience to land a role, hiring managers also look for culture fit during interviews. One thing they do to check this is by having you interact with potential workmates through a team call. These interactions can provide valuable insights into communication styles, level of collaboration, and overall team morale. 

If you notice that the hiring manager is not letting you meet other people in the team or the company during the interview process, they could be hiding something. This could suggest that the company doesn’t prioritize input from its team members, which often leads to issues with morale and retention. It could be a warning sign for you to reevaluate the company’s culture and team dynamics before accepting a job offer. 

3. They’re Disorganized

As a job applicant, you will take the time to prepare for an interview for a role you want to land. With that, you also expect the person interviewing you to put in a little effort to learn about you and to know at least your name and the role you’re applying for.

But sometimes, you just encounter a disorganized job interviewer. They don’t know who you are or have even lost your resume. This may indicate a lack of professionalism that could extend to other areas of the company’s operations, suggesting inefficiency and poor management. 

Putting yourself in the middle of that chaos could place you in a situation where you constantly have to juggle tasks, struggle to stay organized, and feel frustrated or undervalued for your contributions. Better think twice whether you’re ready to feel overwhelmed at all times if you decide to take a job with a seemingly chaotic workplace. 

4. The Role Was Left By Someone Who Was Fired Or Quit Unexpectedly

A toxic corporate culture is 10x more likely to be a reason for an employee to leave a job than compensation, a survey sponsored by Microsoft showed. With this in mind, you could probe a little during your interview about why the role you’re applying for was vacated. Was the previous employee fired, or did they quit unexpectedly?

If they leave due to reasons like company restructuring, personal reasons, or pursuing other opportunities, it does not necessarily reflect negatively on the workplace. But, if there’s a pattern of high turnover for the role, whether they’re fired or quit on a whim, that could indicate deeper issues such as poor management, lack of promotion opportunities, and inadequate support for its employees. A company that doesn’t address these root causes of issues often fosters a toxic environment where employees rarely thrive or succeed. 

5. Company’s Reviews Are Terrible

The easiest way to determine whether the company culture is toxic is to ask current and past employees. You can ask this explicitly during a job interview; however, not all companies are transparent and open to simply offering opportunities for you to meet other team members. 

What you can do is research employee reviews on Glassdoor. Read multiple reviews to identify common themes or patterns. Having multiple terrible reviews on the platform may suggest a potentially toxic working environment. Pay attention too on whether the company engages with feedback, which can give you an idea of how committed they are to improving employees’ experiences and willingness to address issues.

When interviewing for companies to land a job, remember that it’s not just them getting to know you, but you are also getting to know them and evaluating whether you would want to be part of their team. Interviews can offer, at a glance, the culture and environment of a workplace, so be vigilant about potential red flags of toxic work environments.

Make the most out of your interview process by using the opportunity to determine whether the new job would mutually benefit you and your new employer.