Caution: toxic workplace

If you’re spending on average a third of your life in work mode, it’s time you prioritise a good fit with your employer’s company culture – and it starts before you’ve even sent in your job application

You’ve got mail! It’s a job offer with an insanely good salary and enviable work perks. But there’s something holding you back from hitting send on your acceptance email. What’s stopping you? It could be job-change jitters getting to you. But perhaps there’s something more to it. Read on to find out why it’s important to pay attention to that cautious voice in your head, and smart ways to suss out a potentially toxic company culture before and during the job application process.

Before you apply

See what other employees say

Go beyond your standard job title search and do a little digging into the history and reputation of the company you’re considering applying to. Websites such as Indeed and Glassdoor allow you not only to browse listings, but to also review what current and past employees of certain businesses anonymously have to say about working at that respective company. Consider whether reviews are consistent, suggests Judy Hofer, a career coach and associate recruiter at Dynexity, a recruitment firm. ‘Use these online reviews to inform your questions during an interview,’ adds Lenwhin Arendse, managing director at Aspire Human Capital Management.

What’s their social presence?

Linking to the first point, search the business’s website, but also do a quick scroll through their official social media pages. ‘Get a sense of their values and culture,’ says Hofer. Do these line up with your own? Social media has expanded employers’ online presence and given prospective employees and clients a taste of what they’re all about, so use this information to help inform your own decisions before applying for a role. ‘A toxic workplace can often directly be linked to continuous change in management, so find out how long the management team has been around,’ adds Anita Hoole, managing director at Dynexity. ‘You can often see this on a company’s website.

Ranking speak volumes

The Top Employers Institute evaluates and certifies businesses across various key areas including leadership development, on-boarding and, yes, culture. ‘This can be a useful guide to assess employers’ commitment to workplace culture,’ says Arendse.

Go on a coffee date

Okay, you don’t necessarily need to meet for coffee, but getting in touch with someone you know who currently or used to work at a company that’s caught your eye can go a long way in testing whether a company’s culture is right for you. ‘You’d be surprised how much you can find out by simply speaking to people who have first-hand experience of the actual culture and not the intended culture [of a company],’ says Arendse. If it’s a family business, find out if the owners have a heavy hand in the business, suggests Hofer.

Before you accept an offer

First impressions work both ways

While you’re dressing your best and aiming to get to your interview on time, is your prospective employer putting similar effort into knocking your socks off? ‘Think about how you were made to feel on arrival,’ says Hofer. ‘Were you made welcome, or were you kept waiting too long?’ These details seem small initially, but they matter in creating a solid impression for you. Arendse agrees: ‘Things like interviewers being late, being unprepared, cancelling interviews and poor communication during the assessment process are all bad signs.’ At the end of the interview, did the interviewer say when you could expect feedback from them – and did they follow through on this commitment?

Never pass up the chance to ask questions

Both experts agree that the interview process is very much a two-way process. ‘You should also interview the interviewer,’ says Hofer. ‘Aim to ask pointed questions about the company culture, work-life balance etc. and consider whether these answers align with what you are looking for.’ Here are some questions it’s acceptable to ask in an interview:

● Why is the job vacant?

● What does success look like in this role?

● What is the biggest achievement this department has had?

● What is the biggest challenge facing this department right now?

● What is the performance review process like?

● What metrics or goals will I be evaluated against?

● What is the leave policy? Are there annual increases?

● What are the company benefits?

Ask if they are negotiable, if they fall short of your expectations. Hoole adds that it’s worth asking the head of your prospective department or HR about how long the current staff have been in service at the company. ‘People tend to stay longer if they are happy; in a toxic environment, people leave on an ongoing basis and have not been there for a number of years,’ she adds.

Can a toxic workplace sometimes be worth it?

No one should have to dread work every day, but Hoole says biting the bullet in a slightly toxic environment can be worth it if there’s a strong chance it’ll propel you forward in your career. ‘It’s difficult to make a decision on a job offer based on the “suspicion” of a toxic environment,’ she says. ‘First and foremost, the position has to be the right career move for you – the candidate.’ Having worked for one of the best companies – even if toxic – gives you, in turn, the reputation you might want to have for yourself and your future career.