So, you’ve managed to land an interview after sending out hundreds of job applications. You’re excited, and you’ve prepared enough. You checked the company’s website which looks professionally done. The salary and benefits are decent, and the office pantry is always stocked. Everything seems too good to be true. So you should remember never to ignore subtle (and sometimes, not-so-subtle) signs that can give you a peek behind the curtain. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is be wary when everything seems picture-perfect. You should be on the lookout for work culture red flags early on and don't ignore them if you detect them.
“We’re Like a Family Here!”
Why companies think attracting a potential employee to work for them by saying “We’re like a family here” is beyond us. Excuse me, but have you not heard of toxic families? When you refer to your company as like a family, candidates will equate it to work culture red flags because of the lack of boundaries, high expectations and a sense that your “family” will be very vocal in expressing their disappointment when you fail to meet your deadlines.
The Always “On” Mentality
If the company expects you to reply to an email in the middle of the night or for you to answer calls during the weekends and you still went ahead and signed a contract with them, then the problem is you. A company that doesn’t respect your need to have a life outside work should have a neon sign at their front door flashing “RUN.” No job should require you to sacrifice your Netflix binge time during your days off.
No Diversity
According to this article from Forbes, “Diversity gives you access to a greater range of talent, not just the talent that belongs to a particular world-view or ethnicity or some other restricting definition. It helps provide insight into the needs and motivations of all of your client or customer base, rather than just a small part of it.” A company that has no diversity of people and ideas is one of the work culture red flags you shouldn't ignore.
The Workday That Never Ends
Some companies wear their “grind culture” in their sleeves, and if during the interview they keep using the words “hustle,” “grind,” and “rise and grind,” those are euphemisms for “you’re not going home” or “you live in the office now.” If working 12-hour days is casually mentioned, you’re in for a long ride, and we mean that literally.
Unwritten Rules in the Non-Existent Employee Handbook
What are these unwritten rules? These are rules that, if they are written down and have a paper trail, will have the authorities knocking down on their doors. Maybe it’s about how long you can take your lunch (it’s never long enough), or it’s how to answer emails after hours (hint: ASAP). These unwritten rules are usually designed to confuse and control employees.
No One Ever Leaves
A high turnover of employees is not great but if there’s no new blood coming in, it's not good either. Sometimes, long tenure means no one dares to submit a resignation letter because they’ve already invested too much time into the place, or they feel they have nowhere else to go. If this seems to be the case with the company interviewing you, stop and ask yourself if it’s a great place to grow or a place where you are likely to get stuck.
The “Over-Promising” CEO
Every company needs a visionary leader, but there’s a fine line between an inspiring CEO and the kind of leader who promises to give the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow but instead, gives you the coins jiggling in their pocket. If your CEO seems to be always going on about lofty goals but does not have an action plan on how to achieve these goals, that’s not visionary leadership. It’s a pep rally to keep morale high while things are slowly falling apart.
Trust Your Gut When You Notice Work Culture Red Flags
Sometimes, those red flags are subtle, and it’s understandable if you ignore them in the excitement of landing a new role. But if your gut is telling you something feels off, take the time to listen to it. You shouldn't ignore work culture red flags and settle. If you spot any of these, take your skills (and sanity) elsewhere.
Check out the video below from Indeed about company culture as a consideration before accepting a job offer.
Good luck out there and may the odds be ever in your favor!
