​Finding a good workplace is really important both for your career and your personal growth and health. If you’ve ever found yourself working in a toxic work environment, then you will surely know what we are talking about. Working 1/3 of your day is not easy itself and a toxic workplace that kills the only passion you have just doubles the problem.

A toxic workplace is a combination of many factors: Lack of communication and organisation, toxic company culture and bad managers. Researches published by the British Psychological Society indeed show that “toxic bosses” could affect employees' mood negatively. They were found to be overly critical and aggressive. For this reason, it is really important to try to see the “red flags” before you actually land a new job.

The good news is that a bad work environment can be spotted already from the interview. Take advantage of this first contact, and try to understand whether it would be a good place for you to work in.  

Here’s a list of wake-up calls to help you. 

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5 Red Flags of A Toxic Work Environment

It Takes A Lot Of Time To Arrange The Interview.

Everything starts in a regular way. You send your CV to the person in charge and then wait patiently. A few days later you receive a follow-up email with some questions about your availability. But then, radio silence. After a few weeks, you finally got some news from the HR department scheduling an interview.

This is definitely a sign that something is wrong within the company. Such a long waiting just to settle the interview is no regular procedure.​

Interviewers and Hiring Managers Aren’t Transparent.

Are there are lots of questions unanswered or redirected to other topics during your interview? It might mean two things: Either there’s a lack of knowledge and communication or they are not fully transparent with you.

Honesty from both sides is the most important element of a recruitment process. If you sense from the start that people are hiding information or real emotions and thoughts towards the position or the company, stay out! 

Lack Of Organisation, Communication, and Hierarchy.

Imagine you are having an interview with someone you don’t even know what they are responsible for. Sounds bizarre but it happens. People who don’t clearly introduce their role, future communications, your job description and the team structure tend to stay that way once you get the job.

This brings a lot of confusion about whom you should be talking to or who you should report to. Roles must be clear in order to maintain order in the workflow.​

The Interview Was Way Too Fast.

You start the interview and then, less than half the time allocated for the interview you are done. Well, there could be different interpretations to that. Either you are not right for the job and they realized pretty fast or, they are not really concerned about knowing who they hire. If you feel like you did a good job and you could be a possible candidate, then it’s probably the second. If that’s the case, you better run.

Finding a new member for the team is a big deal – or at least should be – for any company. If they don’t care probably they are desperate and they might always be.

Lack of Recognition of Your Added Value.

Recruiters are not doing you a favour when they offer you a job. Never forget that. They need you as much as and maybe even more than you need them. Talent with the right skillset and mindset leads the company to grow. If they don’t recognise your previous experience and skills as an important asset either during the interview or follow-ups and the job offer process how can they expect you to be motivated to bring an added value to the company?

Don’t start your next career with an anxious attachment style always seeking approval. A secure work environment would give you the thumbs-up from the start!