11 Signs You’re In a Toxic Work Environment

It’s time to learn when enough is enough at your job.

Does your job leave you feeling stressed, undervalued, or outright miserable? If you’re dealing with mistreatment, poor communication, or outright harassment, you might be in a toxic work environment. But sometimes, the signs aren’t so obvious.

A toxic workplace can drain your energy, damage your mental and physical health, and leave you questioning your worth. And while no job is perfect, no job is worth sacrificing your well-being.

In this post, I’ll walk you through 11 major signs of a toxic work environment—along with some ideas on what to do next. Before we dive in, a quick word of care:

• This topic may be triggering. If you’ve experienced workplace harassment, bullying, or other forms of abuse, proceed gently. Take breaks if you need to, and don’t hesitate to reach out to someone for support.

• Your well-being matters. If you recognize these signs in your workplace, prioritize your health. Whether that means seeking help, talking to HR, or leaving entirely, remember: You are worth so much more than a toxic job.

• This is not professional advice. I’m not a mental health professional, but I’ve been there. These insights come from my personal experiences, and I encourage you to seek professional support if you need it. You deserve healing and happiness—don’t let a toxic workplace stand in the way.

So, let’s get into it: 11 signs you’re in a toxic work environment—or, as I like to call it, 11 reasons to quit your job because you deserve better. ♥

11 Signs of a Toxic Work Environment

1. You feel gaslighted.

If your boss moves goalposts, rewrites history, or negates your experiences and feelings, you’re in a toxic work environment. I had a boss once who would give me a task, and I would complete it precisely as directed, and then they’d say, “I never said to do that.” It happened often enough that I noticed a pattern. They would always gaslight me in front of others to make themselves look better.

2. You are treated like a child.

Poor leadership can come in many forms, but one of the worst is when your supervisor talks down to you and treats you like a child. If you don’t feel trusted to do your job, and you feel constantly judged and condescended to, then you’re definitely in a toxic work environment.

3. You are always overlooked for promotions and growth opportunities.

If you’re never given a chance to improve, grow, and change for the better in your job, then it might not be a healthy or safe workplace. This is even worse if you notice others getting those opportunities, even if they may not deserve it. Know that in a healthy workplace, you would be encouraged, supported, and given chances to grow, including professional development and opportunities for advancement.

4. You are bullied, harassed, and shamed.

This might go without saying, but sometimes we don’t recognize that what we’re experiencing in the workplace is downright abuse. One of the final straws in my last job was having an abusive boss who would tell me exactly how to perform (literally, as in making speeches and presentations) and then embarrass me in front of others. If I did it exactly “to the script,” he’d laugh and say he didn’t tell me to do that. If I veered from the lines, he’d scream and belittle me. And I was part of the company’s leadership team. This behavior happened regularly and in front of varying audiences, from in front of my own team to in front of our company’s Board of Directors. If you’re experiencing unethical behavior from a coworker or (even worse) a supervisor or someone in leadership, get the hell out.

5. Others are bullied, harassed, and shamed.

Sometimes, you can’t see the signs of what you’re experiencing until you see it happening with someone else. If you notice signs of abusive behavior toward others, speak out or get out. If that behavior is tolerated, particularly by leadership, it’s not a safe workplace.

6. You notice a lack of diversity and inclusivity.

I spent most of my 30+ years in the workforce in male-dominated industries. I’m sad and a bit ashamed to admit that because of that, I put up with a lot of sexism and harassment. It had become so normalized that I often wouldn’t notice it until it was really out of hand. However, once I educated myself about important issues surrounding privilege, racism, and sexism, I began to notice patterns of women and people of color being singled out, bullied, excluded, harassed, and overlooked for promotions and other opportunities. Let me say this so the people in the back can hear me: THAT IS NEVER OKAY. It’s toxic af.

7. There are no work-life boundaries.

If you feel like your phone always has to be on, and your email always has to be open, 24-7, without a break, then there’s a problem with how the company views you and respects your personal boundaries and time. If your boss’s expectations seem unreasonable, they probably are, and you’re probably being taken advantage of.

8. There is poor communication.

A healthy workplace encourages respectful discourse (even when there’s a disagreement) and honest communication—or, as Kim Scott calls it, “radical candor.” If you’re instead faced with aggressive behavior, manipulative sugarcoating, insincere praise, or mean feedback, then you’re likely in a toxic workplace.

9. Leadership refers to you as “family.”

Okay, so this one might be a bit controversial, but in my experience, if a company calls you “family,” then they are manipulating you into making poor decisions for your well-being and work-life balance. The truth is that your family is your family; your company is just somewhere you work.

10. Nepotism rules the roost.

Speaking of family, rampant nepotism is another sign of a potentially toxic workplace. Typically, this behavior becomes toxic if only family members or close friends receive promotions, opportunities, and special treatment while other workers (non-family members) are treated poorly and overlooked for advantages and opportunities. Often, the nepotism recipients are less qualified than others, too, adding another layer of unethical behavior to the equation.

11. You develop mental or physical health issues.

A job is never worth your health. Say it again with me, this time with feeling: a job is NEVER worth your health! If you are stressed, consistently in fight or flight mode, find yourself crying (or wanting to) about your job, seeking comfort in alcohol or drugs, feeling depressed or anxious because of your job, or have any other mental or physical health symptoms, please know that you are loved, you are worthy, and you deserve a job that builds you up instead of tears you down. Find a job (or create one) that supports you no matter what.

What To Do If You’re In a Toxic Workplace

I’m gonna be real here (don’t mind if I drop a bit of radical candor). You’ll find tons of advice online about talking to HR, discussing things with leadership, speaking out or standing up for what’s right, becoming a whistleblower, or many other options that all point toward essentially “sticking it out” and trying to come up with a solution. Honestly, I don’t agree with that.

Instead, I say hit the road.

If you feel comfortable talking with someone in your organization and you think it could shift things for the better, then by all means, go for it. But in my experience, that only works if there’s a small problem or an issue with a mid-level manager or supervisor. This doesn’t work at all if the problem comes from company leadership or at the level of corporate culture. Most toxic workplaces are systemic and can’t be “fixed” by just one person (or even a few people) wishing for change.

I once stayed in a toxic workplace much longer than I should have because my colleagues and I were convinced that once someone higher up truly understood what was happening, they would come in and save us. We were wrong. Leadership knew exactly what was going on, and they didn’t care. It hurts to realize that, but it’s true that, in many cases, executives only care about their bank accounts and the company’s bottom line. Unless a major lawsuit or something equally aggressive occurs, they likely won’t even bat an eye, and even if they do, you better believe they won’t go down with the ship.

The corporate system in America favors the privileged white males who run most of it. Go against that, and it’s the “little people” who will pay the price. In my opinion, it’s best to leave it alone, make a note to yourself about what to avoid in future jobs, and then leave. I strongly believe in karma, and believe me, what goes around will come around. Those people will get what they deserve in the long run.

Most toxic workplaces aren’t going to change overnight because most fish stink from the head down. That is, if a workplace is that bad, it’s likely coming from the top, and no amount of masochism or stress on your part will make any real changes.

Instead, I say it’s time to quit your job. There are many companies run by empathetic, strong leaders who genuinely care about their employees and actively work toward building a healthy work environment. Find one of those. It’s okay to admit it if you’re not feeling respected at work and then find a job that does make you feel valued. You deserve that.

If the idea of the job search completely exhausts or overwhelms you, it could be time to explore ways to take your passions and strengths and build a career where you can be your own boss. Running a business means creating a healthy workplace culture for yourself and others. Because change only comes from the top, and if you’re at the top, you really can make a change for the better.

Leaving a job can be scary, and so can starting a business! But don’t let fear hold you back from making real, positive decisions that can quite literally change your life for the better. I completely feel for you and am rooting for you to make the positive changes you need for your career. Imagine how it will feel to put yourself ahead of everything else for once and value your needs, mental health, and physical well-being.

If your heart, gut, and intuition are telling you something is off at your job, listen to yourself. It’s important to learn how to trust yourself and build your intuition so you can make decisions that will make you happier and healthier in the long run.

It may be hard to see a way out if you’ve been in a toxic work environment for a long time. Know you’re not trapped, and you do have options.

I believe in you. You can do it!

When you’re ready to explore your ways forward, check out my free guide with more than 40 business ideas for a slow-living business so you can take the next step toward being your own boss.

Or, if you know you’re ready to start living for yourself again, check out my Own Your Strengths program so you can build your self-esteem and get started on your dream career.