'Don't leave one toxic relationship and enter another': ‘Job Doctor’ shares red flags for new employees

The standard for young professionals in today's work culture is to stick with their first jobs for at least a year before making a transition. You might question what to do, though, should you see early red flags on the job. 

Many red flags just aren't worth toughing out. Some might even indicate that a workplace is toxic, The Job Doctor and author of The Unspoken Truths for Career Success Tessa White tells CNBC Make It. 

For those experiencing challenges in the workplace — whether it be due to workplace culture, work-life balance or employee relationships — White says that it is important to recognize whether a workplace is truly toxic. 

"People throw around the word toxic like candy," White says. "People [should] understand that a truly toxic workplace, they can't fix." 

Some workplace problems have no solution. White shares her insights and advice on workplace warning signs — and red flags that signal you should give your two weeks. 

When it comes to workplace red flags, White says that warning signs might appear as early as the interview process. 

There are several questions young professionals can ask during the hiring process that might shed light on potential company flaws.

"I would ask the question: how many internal promotions have you had in your department? It's a really good indication of whether that company actually cares about training and development," White says. "If they cannot identify successful people who internally have moved up within the company, I would say that's a big warning sign." 

Additionally, asking about training budgets and available career development paths provides insight into the company's success culture (or lack thereof). 

White also tells job candidates to look at the number of recent senior executive management changes within a company. 

"If they've had more than, you know, two or three executive changeouts in this specific role, that's a sign that they just can't get their act together. One? Not a problem, because that might be the best thing that ever happened to the company," she says. 

When assessing whether a new workplace environment is worth 'roughing out', White says that it all boils down to company culture. The companies that adopt "well, it's just business" as a mantra, she says, might be home to toxic workplaces. 

"Toxic workplaces don't treat their people the way that they want to be treated," White says. "There is no such thing as 'just business' when it relates to how we treat people." 

The way a company parts with employees who give notice, for example, might be a major red flag. When people give notice and are then ushered right out of the door, they are often leaving a toxic workplace behind, White says.

Similarly, workplaces that adopt an "us vs. them" mentality in which employees are "protecting their turf" instead of engaging in collaboration are not the most conducive for young employees. 

Toxic workplaces also allow bad behavior to continue, regardless of how employees are being treated. "That can take the form of your top salesperson that's a bully being allowed to stay in a company because they perform," White says. 

"Humane leadership is really important," White says. Young employees should feel comfortable approaching managers about their concerns. On the other hand, if your manager witnesses a performance problem, they should be talking that through with you. 

"The company [should be] behind this idea of coaching your people," she says. 

Above your manager, company CEOs should be consistent in their expectations and goals.

"If the priorities – the big rocks, you know, the biggest priorities for the company coming from the CEO – are continually changing, that's a problem. I would say that's one that's really hard to weather," White says. 

It becomes difficult for employees to execute when the company's priorities are constantly changing "like flavors of the day," she adds. It is a major red flag when employees are scapegoated when actual problems may lie within the company's leadership. 

"Organizations that are healthier tend to understand that the direction comes from the top. Toxic organizations tend to blame people further down in the organization and not make any changes to the top," White says. 

It is often difficult to tell whether a company is "roughing out a storm" or just going through change that might lead to a healthier culture in the future, White says. Before giving your two weeks, it is important to consult with your manager. 

"Gen Z and millennials characteristically will leave an organization before they speak up. They'll say 'I shouldn't have to write the script for my company. They know whether they're treating me well or not,'" White says.

But, she adds, "If you don't speak up, you have no opportunity to fix it." 

Taking a stab at having an honest conversation – a conversation that will undoubtedly be difficult – with your superior is an important step to take, White says. It is important to address some of the concerns you might have and the red flags you are seeing. 

When having the conversation, White encourages young professionals to "be careful" in their approach. Identifying the gap between your expectations and what you are seeing allows for a more fruitful discussion. 

"Don't blame the company, but then ask your manager one of these three magic questions: Is that what you intended? Or do you see it differently? Or is there something going on I don't understand?" 

If you do decide to leave, White says, take the time to gather short recommendations from co-workers, prepare for your job transition and think about what is really important to you in a workplace environment. 

"Speed is the enemy when you are leaving," White says. "Laying the groundwork for the next opportunity is so critically important." 

She adds, "People say 'I can't stand it anymore!' What is the it?" White says. 

You need to understand your values and professional priorities before jumping into another company. 

"Just like dating, we tend to leave what we call a toxic relationship and jump right into another one. We find we've recreated the same thing unless we slow it down a little bit," White says.

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