Grayson West
More often than not, toxicity in the workplace begins at the top. And when a manager’s behavior sets the wrong tone, it can drain the life out of the entire team. So, if things feel off lately and no one can quite put a finger on why, start here. These 20 signs might just reveal what’s poisoning the culture from the inside out.
Inconsistent Feedback
You’ve done the work, delivered results, and waited for some recognition, but none comes. Eventually, the silence chips away at your motivation. Research in American Behavioral Scientist confirms this: teams thrive when praise outweighs criticism five to one. Without that balance, even the best employees quietly disengage.
Shaming In Meetings
When a manager mocks an idea with a sarcastic joke that changes the room’s energy instantly, it creates tension and shuts down open discussion. Afterward, employees hesitate and carefully weigh every word before speaking again in team meetings.
Constantly Changing Priorities
Today’s emergency becomes tomorrow’s afterthought. With priorities constantly shifting, it’s hard to know what truly matters. Instead of encouraging flexibility, these shifts create fatigue. And after enough false starts, the instinct to fully commit gives way to, “Let’s just wait and see.”
Lack Of Transparent Communication
If the leadership announces a new policy and does not explain its details, it leaves employees confused. Different teams interpret it in various ways, while managers stay silent. This lack of clear communication erodes trust and makes it difficult for teams to move forward.
Discouraging Peer Relationships
Some managers view workplace friendships as distractions rather than support systems, so they separate coworkers or discourage collaboration that isn’t strictly task-based. Over time, the workday starts to feel heavier, not because of the workload, but because no one feels connected.
Ignoring Mental Health Needs
“How are you?” only works if someone actually listens. When that moment passes with no real care behind it, the silence grows louder. The weight of unspoken stress settles in, day after day, until even the ones who once opened up decide it’s easier to stay quiet and get through it alone.
Setting Unrealistic Deadlines
Many projects begin with ambition, though deadlines often cut that momentum short. As schedules tighten, thoughtful work gets replaced with hurried output. The result is a culture where meeting the deadline outweighs caring about the work or the people behind it.
Discouraging Time Off Requests
It starts with a sick day and a side comment about commitment. Then a vacation request sits unanswered, or comes with a raised eyebrow. The message is clear: time off isn’t really encouraged. People still need time away, yet many stop asking altogether in order to avoid tension.
Blocking Promotions Without Cause
The path was clear: do good work, stay consistent, and the promotion will follow. But when it doesn’t—and no one offers a reason—the drive wears thin. After a while, consistency turns into burnout, and people are left wondering if the efforts lead anywhere at all.
Micromanaging Every Task
Imagine finishing your assignment early, confident you nailed it, only to have the teacher rewrite half of it with a red pen and no clear justification. Micromanaging feels exactly like that classroom all over again. And for the team, watching their ideas get reshaped into the manager’s version every time gets old fast.
Playing Favorites Openly
If the same person gets the easy assignments as well as the inside updates, no one has to say a word. Everyone sees it, and leaders may think they’re rewarding loyalty. What they’re really doing is trading fairness for comfort, and the rest feel it.
Overloading Top Performers
High performers often find that doing great work leads to even heavier workloads, as their reliability becomes a reason to pass along what others drop. Eventually, some choose to scale back their effort to avoid being taken for granted.
Never Admitting Fault
When things go wrong, some managers refuse to look inward. They shift blame to the timeline, the team, or the circumstances and move on without reflection. Over time, that example teaches everyone else to do the same, and responsibility disappears from the culture entirely.
Taking Credit For Team Wins
Here’s a familiar one. A challenge arises, and someone behind the scenes puts in extra hours to find a smart fix. Then the meeting hits, and suddenly, the manager is the voice of the hour. And the recognition? It never comes. Instead, it lands where the title sits.
Pitting Employees Against Each Other
Healthy competition can spark motivation, but when coworkers start guarding ideas and watching each other closely, trust begins to break down. The focus shifts away from teamwork, and people work to protect themselves rather than support their peers, which weakens the whole group.
Treating Boundaries Like Suggestions
Some managers call it being committed, while what they’re really doing is chipping away at boundaries. The late-night texts, the weekend check-ins, the casual “can you just”—it all adds up. Before long, time off becomes a formality, and personal hours feel anything but personal.
Weaponizing Performance Reviews
For something that’s supposed to support your growth, performance reviews in toxic workplaces sure know how to keep people up at night. What starts as a routine check-in quickly shifts into something else. And somewhere between the vague smiles and the stiff paperwork, your actual work goes missing.
Withholding Critical Information
Have you ever been set up to fail? That’s what it’s like when managers leave out important updates or internal decisions that impact the work. People aren’t failing because they’re unprepared. They’re failing because someone else decided not to share the full picture.
Silent Treatment As A Power Move
We all know that silent treatment is a classic power move. One week, you’re part of the loop, weighing in on decisions. Next, things move forward without a single word your way. No message, no context, just empty inboxes and closed-door choices.
Guilt-Driven Leadership Tactics
Some managers subtly weaponize guilt to manipulate behavior, whether it’s implying you’re not a “team player” for leaving on time or framing burnout as a personal shortcoming rather than a systemic issue. In reality, it’s emotional pressure masquerading as supportive leadership.