Five red flags in a job interview that scream toxic workplace.

Every week I publish a video on leadership, work, and what it actually takes to thrive in the work you do, inspired by my work in leadership and as an executive coach. Below you'll find the latest, along with a short article drawing out the key ideas. Watch, read, or both.

Most people walk into a job interview thinking they're the one being assessed. Thirty years of working in and around organisations has taught me that this is exactly the wrong way to think about it. You are also the examiner. And if you know what to look for, a toxic workplace will tell you precisely what it is before you ever sign the contract.

The signals start earlier than most people realise. The interview doesn't begin when you walk through the door. It begins the moment you make first contact. Last-minute reschedules, vague joining instructions, a receptionist who seems flustered or apologetic when you arrive: none of this is trivial. Healthy organisations treat candidates with the same respect they extend to clients. If the communication before the interview is disorganised or careless, that's not an oversight. That's a culture showing itself.

Once you're in the room, listen for certain phrases. "We're like a family here." "We work hard and play hard." "Everyone goes above and beyond." These aren't descriptions of a warm workplace. They're warnings about what will be expected of you dressed up as values. Genuinely healthy organisations don't need to tell you they're healthy. They talk about structured onboarding, clear expectations, how people are supported to develop. The language of a good employer is specific and practical, not emotional.

The questions you ask matter as much as the answers you give. Most candidates play it safe at the end of an interview, reaching for something unthreatening like "what does a typical day look like?" The questions that actually reveal something are harder: how does the team handle disagreement? What's the biggest challenge facing this role right now? A confident, well-led team will answer these directly. A toxic one will deflect, generalise, or, and this is the one to watch for, look at each other before answering.

Before you walk in, do your research on turnover. How long has this role been open? How many people have held it in the last three years? What happened to the person before you? High turnover in a senior role is not just a vacancy. It's a pattern, and patterns don't lie. I once took a senior leadership role in a cause I cared deeply about. The panel were charming, the salary was right, and they were keen to move quickly. I ignored the rushing. I ignored the fact that two people had held that role in eighteen months. The signs were there. I just wasn't reading them clearly enough.

The most revealing test of all is one most candidates never run. Ask for something minor. More time to consider the offer. A copy of the job description to review. The chance to speak briefly with someone currently in the team. A healthy employer will say yes, or explain clearly why not. A toxic one will apply pressure, show irritation, or make you feel difficult for asking. How they respond when you assert a reasonable need in the interview is exactly how they will respond when you assert a reasonable need once you're in the job.

An interview is a two-way conversation between two parties deciding whether to invest in each other. You deserve to make that decision with your eyes open.