Shownotes: www.unpackingdesign.com/podcast/141

How do we identify a toxic work environment and what are some examples of them? How do we get out of a toxic work environment and/or help someone else who might be in one?

Mike and Tim discuss what they think creates a toxic work environment and what often creates them. They talk about how middle management can often create toxic work places because they set impossible standards for people to attain. The same can be said about leaders of organizations where they aren’t natural born leaders nor trained as one and set rules and standards that undermine others. Later in the discussion, Mike shares another toxic work environment scenario where an individual isn’t growing anymore and is stagnating at a firm. This is one of the most common toxic work environment scenarios.

Mike and Tim discuss these ideas and Tim shares his thoughts on designers not achieving personal growth due to stagnation of role at a firm. He also shares his views on people put into leadership positions who often create a toxic work environment through unrealistic expectations that they set onto younger designers. Mike and Tim talk about the idea of the rite of passage at design firms being long work hours for little pay and for the older designers to be able to control the younger designers.

Learn more about how Mike and Tim identify toxic work environments and their thoughts on getting out of one in this episode.

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