Scared to call in sick?

Red flags are not just reserved for personal relationships - they can show up in the workplace, too! Here is what to look out for.

- BY NELLEKE VAN NIEKERK

Ever worked for a boss who thought a pizza party could fix everything, even rage and public humiliation? Perhaps you're familiar with an environment where birthdays, family dinners and weekends were sacrificed for constant “just one more thing” demands, and saying “no” simply wasn't an option if you valued your job? Or where even HR had enough and walked out? Toxic environments like these don't just breed negativity, stress, anxiety and conflict, they thrive on them - they instantly ruin a good mood, drain self-confidence and take a serious toll, often leading straight to burnout. Sub-ideal, to say the least.

Sadly, toxic workplaces are more common than you might think. And no amount of empty promotion promises can undo the damage they cause to your mental health. In Rising Above a Toxic Workplace: Taking Care of Yourself in an Unhealthy Environment, coauthor Gary Chapman says it best: “When a workplace becomes toxic, its poison spreads beyond its walls and into the lives of its workers and their families." How do you spot the warning signs of a toxic workplace - and can you do anything about them?

LIVING ON THE EDGE

While red flags can vary from workplace to workplace, one constant is that employees are always on edge. There's a lingering fear of making the wrong move or speaking up, even though your opinion is almost certainly part of why you were hired. Worst of all is when this hostile atmosphere becomes so normalised that no one questions it anymore.

GLAMOURISING HUSTLE CULTURE