There is nothing scarier than the unknown. A bad work environment can be worse than inhaling a toxic chemical. It is even more damaging to those of us who are unaware of what we may be getting ourselves into. I’ve been on both sides. It wasn’t until I became a small business owner and employer that I learned the underlying philosophy; How you treat your employees ultimately determines how you will treat your customers/customers. Both are a poor reflection of the company’s goal. Here are five signs to help you recognize if a company isn’t the best strong place to work, how you can avoid wasting time, and what to do about it.

• High turnover rate – Employee retention is extremely important. It’s the company’s job from the first hire date to make sure employees stay happy, engaged in their work, and committed to the company’s purpose. The idea is to prevent people from feeling like they might want to be somewhere else. If the turnover rate is high, it is likely because managers are having difficulty monitoring workplace morale or are not applying good strategies that address the drivers of turnover that are typically attributed to poor life balance. labor and personal and employee development. If you’re applying to a company with high turnover, ask questions about their retention responsibility.
• Bad interview process – Job interviews are meant to be a two-way conversation, not a question and answer session. It should never be an uncomfortable experience either. If the hiring manager is giving short, in-depth answers about why the position is open, for how long, and what are the expectations of him, it’s a sign that he isn’t looking to accomplish much from this position. Also, if the hiring manager makes it sound like it’s an opportunity he shouldn’t say no to instead why he thinks someone with his experience would be a good fit for your company, rush! This is a sign that they don’t care about your background and experience and are looking to meet a hiring quota. If the interview process falls under any of these circumstances, it’s best to avoid the company altogether. Talk about an unbalanced business structure.
• Unprofessional – Unprofessional workplace habits go beyond stealing stamps and yellow markers from supply cabinets. Unprofessional behavior actually starts with fraternization. Before you know it, your bosses and coworkers are now emotionally supporting each other. When your relationship in the workplace goes beyond the normal scope of employee interactions, it can lead to problems and create a stressful and oppressive work environment. Things like gossip, favoritism, nepotism, laziness, unresolved conflicts, and office politics all contribute to an unprofessional work environment. Even if some of the pranks in the office are funny, they can create a negative dynamic that will only be contained for so long before it bursts like a bubble. Simply put, if morale sits somewhere between TMZ and VH1 with management and staff behaving like a bunch of cast members from a reality show, it’s time to reevaluate.
• Pessimism – Some people openly hate their job. What’s worse is that they often project their hate onto other employees, which spreads bad energy. I always warn people to stay away from people who speak from a defeat psychology. It is a very dangerous mentality. Pessimism not only creates a negative work environment, it affects productivity. If management rarely steps in to counter these attitudes by resolving differences before they escalate, it’s probably because they are part of the problem. Managers are not just task supervisors, they are supposed to be good leaders. It’s your job to keep workers focused and engaged at all times. The results of allowing pessimistic attitudes to rule the workplace can cost a company clients and profits.
• ineffective communication – It is the silent cancer that kills companies and slows growth. Poor training leads to management and employees transferring incorrect information both internally and externally. Relying solely on email, chat, and office politics can also lead to misunderstandings. Create barriers. Barriers are what lead to the goal being distorted, causing confusion and conflict that leads to low employee morale. Low company morale destroys productivity and creates disengaged employees.

Company culture is one of the most important drivers of the individual and collective success of a company. When you don’t empower your employees, it doesn’t generate good results and therefore creates a broken environment. Be sure to watch for the signs and pay attention to the facts mentioned; This will help steer you in the right direction: away from companies where you won’t be happy to work in a role that won’t take full advantage of your skills and ambitions. . You can also visit websites like Glassdoor.com to get an idea about a company’s culture. When employees are breaking their necks trying to leave an organization to work elsewhere, it’s a sure sign that the company may not be the best place to work. If you decide it’s still worth it, proceed with caution.