Nobody joins a company thinking, “Yes, I’d love to be emotionally drained 5 days a week.” Most toxic workplaces don’t announce themselves upfront. They reveal themselves slowly in tiny moments you brush off while trying to be professional, grateful or resilient.
If you’ve been feeling off about work but can’t explain why, here are some signs that what you’re dealing with isn’t just stress, but in fact, a toxic workplace.
You’re always walking on eggshells.
If you’re constantly overthinking emails, Slack messages, or the tone of your voice in meetings, that’s not normal. A healthy workplace doesn’t make you feel like one wrong sentence could ruin your reputation. When fear becomes part of your daily workflow, something is very wrong.
Boundaries are treated as a joke.
In toxic workplaces, boundaries are seen as inconveniences. Leaving on time is “not being a team player”. Taking medical leave is met with passive aggressive comments. Saying no feels like a crime. Over time, you start shrinking your own needs just to survive.
Gaslighting is the default communication style.
You raise a concern and suddenly you’re “too sensitive”. You ask for clarity and get told you’re overthinking it. Problems are never actually addressed, but rather, they’re reframed as personal flaws. This constant invalidation chips away at your confidence until you start doubting your own reality.
There’s no such thing as psychological safety.
Mistakes are punished, not learned from. Feedback feels like an attack, not guidance. You stop asking questions because you don’t want to look stupid, or worse, get blamed. When silence feels safer than speaking up, the culture is already broken.
Favouritism is obvious (and unapologetic).
Hard work doesn’t matter as much as being liked by the “right” people. Promotions, opportunities, and praise feel random and somewhat political. Watching underqualified favourites thrive while others burn out creates resentment, not motivation.
You’re exhausted, even on off days.
This one hits quietly. You sleep more but feel less rested. Sundays feel heavy. You’re irritable, numb, or emotionally flat. When work starts invading your off-time mentally, it’s no longer “just a job”.
The culture glorifies burnout.
Late nights are celebrated. Overworking is praised. Being busy is worn like a badge of honour. Rest is framed as laziness. A workplace that survives by draining its people isn’t ambitious; it’s unsustainable.
A toxic workplace can make you feel like the problem is you. It’s not. You’re not difficult, entitled, or incapable for wanting respect, clarity, and basic humanity at work.
If reading this made you uncomfortable or if it hit a little too close to home, that’s your sign. Listen to it.