Article: Are you in a toxic work culture company?

Culture

Are you in a toxic work culture company?

Watch out for these subtle tell-tale signs of a toxic work culture before accepting the job offer.
Are you in a toxic work culture company?

Got a job offer in hand and can’t wait to say yes to it? Well, we understand your excitement and are happy for you, but if you were to take our advice, we’d say think before you leap. Reason? We don’t want you to get stuck in a toxic work set environment. Just to avoid such an environment, why don’t you recount your entire experience with your future employer? Start from your first interaction until the time you were sent the much-awaited offer letter. Sometimes the telling signs are right in front of us, but we choose to turn a blind eye to them.  

While these are a few questions you should find answers to, you must also trust your instincts. Do you think you would settle well in an office with conflicting energies?

Was the recruiting process a pain? 

When they called you did they give you a ‘tentative’ interview date and time and did not bother to explain the recruiting process (who will conduct the interview, how many rounds etc.)? You were told the interview would not take more than 30 minutes, but it took the entire day because they wanted to get done with all rounds? Very convenient for them, isn’t it so? They forgot your priorities and loaded their convenience on you! 

How easy/difficult was the interview? 

What kind of questions were you asked? Did you talk about everything except your current and future role profiles? Were you given any test? Were they just too distracted during the interview like checking their phone while having this chat with you? If you have a resounding yes for most or all these questions, then reconsider your decision of joining them. 

Who was interviewing you? 

Were you told who is going to interview you? Or, did this person give you their introduction? Did you know if you will report to this person directly? When you asked about the team members, team hierarchy etc. did they sound enthusiastic or did they dodge them? If they weren’t interested in answering your questions, then it reflects on not only the interviewer but also on the organization. Your curiosity should have been welcomed, especially if they saw you as a fit; instead, you were asked to keep shut. 

Did they dilly-dally in conveying their decision? 

One minute you are hired and the other minute they call you to say you weren’t? When you tried to follow-up with them all they came up with were excuses, week after week? If so was the case then it shows how unprofessional they are. Clearly, they understand that this can be disconcerting for the candidate. 

Would you really join such a company that disrespects their future employee? Besides, what’s the guarantee they will change and value you once you are onboard?

Were they talking only about perks? 

Were they hard selling the perks at work like free food and snacks and gym, spa, etc.? While it’s good that they are interested in making their employees feel special, but perks alone don’t redeem a company’s toxic culture. 

Were you hired almost instantaneously? 

Did you receive a call the moment you left their office precincts? Were you expected to join immediately? While you may be a perfect fit, sometimes employers take quick hiring decisions merely to close a position, either because they are under pressure or didn’t have many candidates applying for the position. Besides, if they are really interested to have you onboard, they will negotiate a joining date as per your convenience. 

While these are a few questions you should find answers to, you must also trust your instincts. Do you think you would settle well in an office with conflicting energies? The final call is anyway yours! Bon courage!

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Topics: Culture, Life @ Work

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