Employee Sickness: Toxic workplaces lead to employee burnout, fatigue, and illness due to high levels of stress that wreak havoc on our bodies. If employees are calling in sick more frequently it means that they are  factors contributing to weak immune or they have anxiety induced sickness, another sign is employees report to work while sick or fail to finish recommended sick days, it means they feel insecure being away from the work place.

Lack of Enthusiasm: If your employees are not excited about coming into work every day and seem like they are just going through the motion. When the conversations are centred around negativity and complaining or there is strained or no conversations among employees.  When employee are not excited to work in new projects and would prefer to just do their daily tasks.

Poor Communication: when employees don’t have the necessary information to perform their duties well. When they are side-lined and get to know of important communication at the last moment and when it affects their work. You and others don’t get the necessary information to do your job. Lack of feedback and recognition on work done is also another sign of poor communication.  This can stem from both poor leadership and or lack of effort from the employee.

Narcissistic Leadership: these are leaders that expect everyone else to be perfect while they can meet lower standards. They are only concerned about their own success and not the team’s success, they usually take the teams credit as their own. They will do everything to look good to their boss and win accolades. They always demand you   agree with them and are not ready to listen to feedback from their juniors.

High Employee Turnover: When employees are leaving at a high rate, it is an indication that’s something in the organisational culture is a miss. Leadership issues may also lead to dysfunction environment, poor morale and high number of employee getting sickness. Usually employees will less valued and appreciated by their leaders and co-workers they will leave for better places.

Cliques, Gossip, and Rumours: where there is clique forming and there exist inner group among employees in the organisation or within a department. The culture is ripe with gossiping and rumour mills spin continuously. When the leaders too are involved in this culture and seem to encourage it. There work environment is characterised by infighting and backstabbing, non-merit promotions  these are some indicators of a toxic work environment.

Additionally, these since may not be overt especially to a new comer. Thus trust your gut instinct, and work cautiously. Once you know what you’re dealing with, it’s time to develop strategies that can help you stay sane as your work on exit plan.