I used to work for a very reputable company, for over 10 years. I have grown with the company as it pursued cutting edge initiatives. For the longest time I thought I was part of a meaningful mission to change the world for the better good.
That is, until we had a re-org and the senior executives were swapped out.
In came a new exec and his goons.
My god they were morons, 2 even left within a year of working for this new CISO.
He was toxic, as were his sidemen.
I was a naive corporate drone at that point so I didn't notice. But once I got out I started to realize the signs of a toxic management/workplace culture everyone should be looking out for.
I call it the “MIG” – Microaggression, Infantilization, and Gaslighting.
Microaggression is basically passive-aggressiveness. Canadians are fucking notorious for it. It also includes sexism, misogyny, and racism. It impacts you more than you realize – from inferior pay to missed promotion opportunities, to exclusion from office “events” (not that we wanted to participate in forced fun anyways). In the Canadian workplace, especially in the prairies, there are no manners. The redneck culture is in the corporate workplace so you will see physical violence, mockeries, and people fucking (as it having sex with) each other in the office. (As an IT admin I have access to the Exchange mailboxes, my god Albertan office workers are hoes and its no wonder there's been multiple STD outbreaks in this province alone).
Infantilization is the second symptom. A red flag you need to look out for is the typical “we're like a family.” PSA: WORK IS NOT FAMILY, YOUR BOSS IS NOT YOUR DAD, AND THE SECRETARY IS NOT YOUR SISTER. Families don't “fire” you out of their circle the moment financial duress hits. Also, be aware of whether or not you're getting fucked out of getting a proper rate of pay. The old saying goes – “boss makes a dollar, I make a dime” holds true. The infantilization and family culture in the office is a passive-aggressive way to hide toxicity under the rug.
Gaslighting is when the people you work with try to stir shit up for no reason other than entertainment. It's “a form of psychological manipulation in which the abuser attempts to sow self-doubt and confusion in their victim's mind “. In Canada, gaslighting comes in the form of the usual racism and sexism. Questions like “Do all blacks ….?”, or “does everyone in Asia do ….?”, or even fake compliments like “you speak English very well for a (brown/black/asian) person”. For women, watch out for questions and comments that judge the typical stereotype like “oh, you should find a rich husband”, or “you should have children so you don't have to put up with xyz in the workplace”
Knowing the subtle, intricate signs of MIG in the workplace will help you keep your sanity should you wish to remain at your job. After all, we're all just holding out until we have enough money to say “fuck it, and fuck y'all”.