You can’t just leave after 5 PM.
This is a common problem for workers who get paid an annual salary rather than an hourly rate.
You need to look busy.
You can’t leave until the higher-ups leave for the day. You don’t want to be labeled as “not willing to put in the work.” You also don’t want to be the first person in your team to leave. As a result, everyone stays in the office until 7–8 PM.
Sadly, this matters when it’s time for raises and promotions. Ultimately, the people who get ahead will be the people who put in the most facetime, rather than the ones who did their job efficiently.
You’re drowning in gossip.
Mentally, some people never left high school. They talk about their co-workers and everyone they see throughout the day. It’s their favorite hobby.
They forget what it’s like to be a beginner, so they make fun of the new guy.
They are two-faced. They seem like nice people when you talk to them. However, they act differently when you walk away.
They judge the clothes that people wear and the foods they eat.
Why is gossip rampant at work? Because the people doing it feel high and mighty. Secretly, they’re jealous. They’re insecure.
You’re scared to ask questions.
There is a delicate dance that new workers need to perform when they join a company. They need to get over the initial learning curve that comes with working somewhere new. They have questions, but they don’t want to ask too many. They want others to think of them as independent problem-solvers.
However, if you’re scared to ask any question whatsoever, then there is a problem. You probably have an emotional tyrant for a boss.
You’re scared to ask questions because you don’t want to get yelled at. So, you don’t.
However, by not asking questions, you can’t do your job properly. You make mistakes. Then, you get yelled at anyway. You can’t win either way.
If this is happening to you, then it is time to start looking at other options.
You dread going to work.
You get mini panic attacks when the alarm clock rings in the morning. You get a sinking feeling every Sunday knowing where you need to go the next day. On your commute, your heart starts beating faster and faster as you get closer to your destination.
Your body is telling you that something is wrong. If you’re an emotional wreck every time you’re about to go to work, then it’s time to reach out to your network.
It might be a sign of a toxic work environment. It just might be a sign that the work is not right for you. And that’s okay. Life is short. Do something else.
You don’t see any older workers.
This is the first sign that you should look for when interviewing for a new company. Be observant. Slow down when you walk and put your invisible binoculars on. What’s the ratio of recent college graduates to older workers?
Companies with little to no older workers have a dirty little secret: nonexistent growth opportunities for employees. People don’t get promoted. There are two possible reasons for this:
1. They get fired.
2. They voluntarily leave.
Both reasons are bad.
There are lots of reasons why an employee might get axed. The most sinister one is that executives don’t want people to stay with the company for too long.
Ageism. It still exists.
IBM has been accused of calling their older workers “dino babies.” IBM employees are fighting back. There is now an age-discrimination lawsuit making its way through the courts.
In addition, high employee turnover is also a red flag. Something is wrong with the workplace culture and/or policies. Maybe it’s long hours. Maybe it’s a verbally abusive executive.
You’ll find out soon enough.