Corporate worker lists ‘manager red flags’ to look out for at your workplace

Editor's note: This article was originally published on August 12, 2022. It has since been updated.

Working under a toxic boss can be quite taxing and take a heavy toll on your mental health. While no one really signs up to work for a toxic boss, you know they'll go the extra mile to be nice while hiring you before revealing their true self. Sam, who often doles out advice on navigating a corporate career, posted a video highlighting how to identify red flags of bosses. In this particular video, she talks about bosses who only make time for employees to hand them work but never actually listen to them and get their feedback. “All of your one-on-ones with them are simply status updates rather than focusing on your development and goals,” Sam lists as the first red flag. Or: “You don’t have any one-on-ones with them because they’re too busy. Doing what? We don’t know.”

Toxic bosses often have the mindset of micromanaging every small task given to employees without understanding that each employee has their style of working. These types of bosses are rarely invested in the growth of the individual. Every employee needs to be growing within the organization while improving their skill set and it's their boss' responsibility to help them achieve these goals. Sometimes this can mean losing the employee to another team because it means the employee getting a promotion, but this is what a good manager does.

Sam explains how toxic bosses often set vague goals. “They don’t set clear expectations,” she said. “When you express the desire, they are not a vocal advocate for you to move up or over to another team. They present a heavy workload as an opportunity or a source of motivation.” Most managers believe that extracting maximum workload from a workforce is a win, but overloading employees with work will lead to burnout and eventually leave them with a group that doesn't a boss. This also leads to many quitting their job. Sam reassured her followers that there are a lot of companies with healthy work environments and good managers out there. “If any of these resonated with you about your boss, please know that there are great people managers out there, and you deserve way better,” she concluded.

The "Great Resignation" was a phenomenon that saw millions quitting their jobs over poor pay, a toxic work environment, and a lack of respect. According to a report by McKinsey and Co., more than 4 million people left their jobs each month in 2022 America. The report added that 40% of people employed in this country are considering quitting for a better job in the next three to six months.

“This isn’t just a passing trend or a pandemic-related change to the labor market,” said report author Bonnie Dowling. “There’s been a fundamental shift in workers’ mentality, and their willingness to prioritize other things in their life beyond whatever job they hold. … We’re never going back to how things were in 2019.”

Dowling pointed out that people weren't going to put up with toxic work environments. “People aren’t tolerating toxic bosses and toxic cultures anymore, because they can leave and find other ways to make money without being in a negative situation,” Dowling says. “There are more opportunities for work now than ever before with our increased connectivity.”