This article is about how red flags in a job listing can hint at a toxic work environment—if you know what to look for.
Oftentimes we find ourselves trapped in a job that at first sounded too good to be true, and then we find out a bit too late that we are trapped in an environment that does not work for us. Much like a toxic relationship, a job can also have red-flags to look out for before we say yes!
Here’s 3 tips that you can look out for that would indicate more about the work culture.
#1 “High-paced” environment
If the job description is already asking you if you can work in a high-paced environment, chances are it’s a very stressful job and the management knows it. In order to manage expectations, they usually say that they are looking for candidates that thrive in such environments. Really, they just want you to be equipped with handling daily stresses.
High-paced working environments can also mean that you’re not going to be given enough time to complete tasks and projects. This can indicate bad time management on your higher ups or that the workload is too heavy for one person.
A common issue in Malaysia’s work environment is that they will try to get one candidate to fulfill the tasks of 2-3 people. They justify this by offering a higher salary range but in the end they end up saving a lot of money as they just have to hire one person.
#2 High turnover rate
In today’s corporate culture, it is common for people to switch jobs every 1-2 years to get a salary bump. This doesn’t mean that the company is bad, however it’s more about the culture around work, of jumping to different jobs to reach a higher base salary as well as to expand the candidate’s growth trajectory.
However, if you could – ask the person interviewing you or the HR rep how long the average employee stays in the company. A minimum average of 2 years is a good indication that the job is somewhat stressful but manageable. If it has an average of 4 years and above, it means the employees are happy with their job and are secure with the management style.
In some cases, the average is one year and this is a bright red flag.
If the person interviewing you has less than 1 year experience, it could indicate that the company has bad management and a high turnover rate and is a good indication to not get tied up in that company.
#3 Rushed Hiring Process
If the company seems to be in a rush to fill a role – be wary, it’s a trap. This is a terrible sign! It indicates poor organization skills, a lack of HR to team communication and most of all, it could mean that the previous employee of this role left without notice.
Leaving without notice usually means that their job was so bad that the employee couldn’t handle any other issues – which most likely meant that the team communication was really bad. Generally managers and HR should be checking in with the employee on how they are adapting, if they are satisfied and bring up any issues that need attention.
Landing a rushed role can also mean that they will dump a huge workload on you without an integration period which can lead to a rocky start at your new job. It most likely means that they are over-capacity and trying to unload a lot of the tasks to the new hire (you!).
An integrated on-boarding system is important in any organization (small or big) so that you could have a better understanding of how it works, so you can perform your job better.
At the end of the day, a job should empower you—not drain you. By spotting these red flags early, you give yourself the chance to walk into a healthier, more respectful work environment where your time and talents are truly valued.
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