Gift Wogu

“People do not leave jobs, they leave managers.” Well, they also leave toxic work environments. As a working adult, you spend the majority of your time at your place of work. Imagine spending most of your life in a place that drains you, a place that makes your heart race whenever you think of it, where a call or notification from work spikes your anxiety, yet you still have to spend a significant amount of time there. Every Sunday, the worry creeps back in because Monday means returning to the office.

As someone who has worked on site, remote, and hybrid, I’ve had my fair share of workplaces and their drama. In today’s post, we’re going to talk about signs your place of work is toxic. I’m not saying you have to leave, but recognizing the signs is the first step to deciding what’s best for you.

They Pray Before Work
Listen, I love God, and I’m a Christian through and through. But when a workplace whips out the “mandatory prayer before work” routine (and it’s not a school or church), my eyebrow goes all the way up. You’d think all that praying would translate into kindness, fairness, and valuing employees. Nope. Instead, you’ll often find exploitation with a sprinkle of the “Holy Ghost”. Spoiler: that’s not the Jesus I know. If he were in the office, he’d not be backing bad management.

I’m not saying every workplace that prays or sings before starting is toxic, but be cautious when a place constantly preaches Jesus to you. If you find that spiritual messaging is being used to justify unfair treatment or exploit employees, that’s a red flag.

Gossiping
A workplace where gossip runs rampant is toxic. It’s not just the whispers in the break room; it’s the culture of running to report at the slightest chance, often blowing minor issues out of proportion. Some people copy managers or even higher-ups into emails unnecessarily, not to solve problems but to make themselves look good or make someone else look bad.

Instead of building trust and collaboration, this kind of behaviour creates an atmosphere where you are constantly walking on eggshells, never sure who might twist your words or actions. You can share something in confidence, only to find your story spreading through the office. Imagine someone reporting you for something, then turn around and do the exact same thing. How embarrassing is that?

A gossip-filled workplace is draining because you never know who to trust, and it often forces you to keep to yourself. I believe this is why so many people say your coworkers are not your friends. While I still believe it’s possible to form meaningful friendships at work—I’ve been fortunate to experience that myself, it requires extra caution.

Lack of Boundaries
In toxic workplaces, work-life balance doesn’t exist, it’s just a myth they preach during interviews. While it’s reasonable to give extra effort when you’re new or during busy periods, some workplaces make it the norm to overstep boundaries. They expect you to work well past your agreed hours, call you on weekends, and even send texts on holidays or late at night. It’s as though your personal time isn’t yours anymore.

But here’s the thing: if you’ve already put in a full day’s work, why should your rest time be interrupted? Why can’t you enjoy dinner with your family, hang out with friends, or simply rest without your phone buzzing with work demands? Honestly, what’s so urgent that it can’t wait until morning? No one’s life depends on your immediate response. Constant intrusion like this doesn’t make you a dedicated employee, it just eats away at your mental health and personal life.

No Room for Mistakes
Have you ever worked at a place where they make you feel utterly stupid for making mistakes? Nobody knows everything. I remember my manager during my brief stint at the bank. I was an English undergraduate about to start my final year and had just landed a summer internship as a Risk Management Analyst at a top commercial bank.

As a student of the arts, I knew nothing about risk or management. But I was determined to learn. In that department, the other intern was an Economics undergraduate. I still remember my manager asking me what I knew about risk management. My answer was “nothing.” He asked the other intern, and she knew a lot. But he told us both to pretend like we knew nothing and to be open-minded to learning. That’s what we did.

The truth is, you learn on the job, and you will make mistakes. That’s normal. But if you’re working in an organization where mistakes are weaponized against you, where you’re made to feel small instead of supported, that’s toxic.

You’ll find yourself being asked questions as if you’re five, ridiculed for every slip, and constantly picked on until your self-esteem takes a hit. You start dreading Sundays because Monday is around the corner. Your chest tightens anytime you see your manager’s name on your phone, whether it’s a call, email, or text. That’s not growth. That’s survival mode. And no job is worth living in survival mode.

No Growth

What do you mean people hardly get promoted at your workplace and they’d rather hire externally than develop the people already putting in the work? A place where employees spend years stuck in the same position, watching outsiders come in and take the roles they’ve worked toward, is waving a big red flag. And let’s not even talk about those “we’ll review your salary after six months” promises that magically turn into endless excuses when the time comes, yet they’ll pay the new hire their full worth without blinking. That’s not growth, that’s exploitation. If you’re in a place like this, start making other plans. It’s clear you’re not being valued, and staying will only keep you stuck while everyone else moves forward.

So tell me, have you ever worked in a toxic workplace? What did you experience, and what advice would you give someone stuck in one?