3 red flags that your boss is toxic—and how to get out

Worker morale comes from the top down and workplace culture is currently experiencing a renaissance. Thanks to the digital and hybrid work evolution and workplace wellness undergoing a much needed rethink, the veil is being pulled from toxic work cultures. Now, expectations for a healthy and positive work environment are soaring. 

Therefore, it is of vital importance we pay particular attention to our leaders at work—especially early into a new opportunity. Not only will this lay the foundation for the longevity of your career with said employer, but also it will shape the future sentiment of your everyday life. 

However, it can sometimes be difficult to identify a bad or unhealthy leader—especially during an interview process or during the first few months of employment when the company is putting its best foot forward. How can you really tell if you’re signing up for a toxic employer before it’s too late? 

Fortunately, there are warning signs that workers can look out for. The following are behavioral predictors that may initially seem trivial, but can compound over time and lead to frustration, resentment, and burnout. Here are three red flags that your boss may be toxic—and how to get out before it’s too late.

They don’t respect your time

Time is valuable and often many of us have small windows of down time in between hectic schedules and back-to-back meetings that can swallow a large chunk of one’s day. Utilizing this time efficiently is not only an essential ingredient to productivity and results-driven work, it is also an indicator for how much personal time we have. Therefore, having an employer that respects your time is of the utmost importance to creating a constructive and optimal work environment.

Sometimes, however, this is not always the case. 

There was a time I was employed by a manager who would arrive to every meeting 15+ minutes late—if she showed up at all—and go well over the time allotted in our calendars. In-person meetings would sometimes go multiple hours over the agreed upon time frame, which disrupted the flow of the work day and client priorities.

This utter disregard for people’s time ultimately bled into my personal life. My vacation time would not be respected, unnecessary work would be piled on top of me, and deadlines would be suddenly marked “urgent” when my boss wanted to take a personal day.

As one could guess, this resulted in a multitude of resentment and an overwhelming desire to search for an opportunity where my employer respects my time. Here’s what I learned: to achieve your full potential, your manager must respect your time.

They’ve openly belittled colleagues—past or present

Like any relationship in life, communication is the foundation for which trust is built. When applied to working in tandem with your employer or in teams, it can foster an environment of efficiency, collaboration, and productivity.

It can also have an adverse effect when turned sour.

I was a few days into a new opportunity when I noticed my manager make an off-putting comment about a former employee. I initially dismissed it, only to find that it would compound. What began as short statements evolved into full-on monologues dismissing my hardworking (and successful) colleagues’ contributions. This behavior ultimately resulted in many transitioning outside of her management or quitting.

In today’s values-driven world, working for a person with questionable integrity and a lack of respect for others does not cultivate a growth-driven environment—if anything, a disrespectful boss (to either you or your colleagues) can ultimately impede on your ambitions and should cause you to look elsewhere.

They don’t inquire about personal milestones in your life

Not celebrating others’ personal accomplishments is a red flag. There was a time when I was vigorously training for my first amateur boxing match—pouring myself into work, while secondarily spending every waking moment at the gym (waking up at 5:00 a.m. and producing two-a-day workouts, six times per week). I trained for ten months straight, and when the big day came, my manager was so detached from the experience that I wondered if she even knew I was competing. Turns out, she did; she just didn’t care. 

This opened my eyes to the importance of feeling appreciated and seen in the workplace. This should go beyond an obligatory, “How was your weekend” at the start of a Zoom, and should show that a manager truly values the well-being of their employees. Managers should serve as cheerleaders for major moments of growth—personally or professionally. 

This also often indicates that a manager does not respect workers’ boundaries. For example, if a manager does not give a second thought to someone having a child, this exhibits an employer who would be less flexible during a well-needed time of adjustment during that time.

Paying attention to important milestones in personal life creates a feeling of loyalty and human connection that encourages people to want to work for you. Not only does this increase productivity and brand loyalty, but also, it deepens your personal relationships and paves way for authentic work.

If any of these boxes are checked, it could be time to move on. As you search for your next opportunity, I recommend that you find an outlet to turn off the pressures of your toxic environment—whether it be art, exercise, or writing. And remember, everything is temporary; it’s only a matter of time until you navigate a healthier career that brings out your full potential. 

Christina Gnozzo is the president of Jab Media.