These 47 Photos Show How Comically Toxic Many Workplaces Are

Even though not all of the actions we see in the pictures might qualify as such, labor law violations are more common than you think. Dallas-based law firm Brown & Fortunato enumerated the five violations that employers usually commit: not paying the required overtime, paying below the minimum wage, failing to ensure a safe workspace, failing to cover an employee’s work-related injuries, and misclassification of a worker.

Common violations also vary from state to state in the US. In New Hampshire, the list includes illegal employment of workers under 18, failure to record hours worked, and failure to secure and maintain workers’ compensation.

Remember the ‘Great Resignation’ of 2021? A study by MIT reported that 40% of American employees were already thinking about leaving their jobs in January of that year. Between April and September, more than 24 million employees left their jobs, an all-time high.

And what was the top predictor of employee attrition during that time? Toxic corporate culture, at 10.4%. Scroll through each one and see if you’ve experienced anything similar. For the most part, you likely have in some form.

Not getting paid a fair minimum wage isn’t even the worst part. Survey data published in a 2017 report by the Economic Policy Institute revealed that 2.4 billion employees in the United States lose $8 billion worth of salaries each year because of wage theft by their own employers. 

Salary issues cause resentment toward the employer, which destroys trust, productivity, and, ultimately, the overall working relationship between the employee and the company. It should go without saying, but it seems many people need a little reminding.

It would be reasonable to surmise that big-name companies comply with labor laws to avoid bad press that may tarnish their reputation. However, the harsh reality says otherwise. 

A 2023 report by Bloomberg Law revealed mounting accusations of violating numerous labor laws against coffee giant Starbucks. The company lost 16 out of 17 cases, eight involving alleged discrimination toward unionizing workers. 

According to the analysis of judge rulings, the company supposedly told employees who contemplated unionization that their employment conditions would be “up for grabs” or “start from zero.” Another Bloomberg report claimed that Starbucks “illegally” fired 17 union activists.

On Starbucks’ Standards of Business Conduct website, the company affirmed its commitment to labor laws, stating, “All partners are entitled to work in an environment that is free of harassment, bullying, and discrimination.” However, these accusations seem to show the opposite. 

While many of these examples show blatant workplace hostility and unjust treatment, the flip side is the “culture of niceness.” In this scenario, people put up a facade of feigned friendship. As a result, no one feels psychologically safe discussing their strengths and weaknesses.

As NYU psychology professor Tessa West explains, “There’s this false dichotomy of if you’re critical, that means you are toxic. Positive feedback? That’s what people want. But nice isn’t always better. Sometimes nice is a cop-out.” 

In this case, where destructive office culture isn’t outright, here are three of many telltale signs for the employee: constant feelings of being undervalued, the mere thought of work is exhausting, and the Sunday Scaries have become a norm. If so, you’re in a toxic work environment and should likely consider looking at outside opportunities.