14 signs that you work at a toxic company

If your boss or employer doesn't care about your ideas or opinions, they probably don't care much about you, said Michael Kerr, a business speaker on workplace trends and author of "The Humor Advantage."

Whether you're always the last person to be considered for projects or you're being talked over in meetings, being left out in these scenarios means your boss doesn't respect your ideas.

If your boss doesn't take the time to offer any feedback, guidance, or support as you work toward achieving your goals, it can be seriously detrimental to your career, Kerr added.

Taylor said that if your boss seems primarily concerned with the tactical aspects of your job and project completion — and less so with whether you're advancing your skills or being challenged by your work — they probably don't care about your success.

Another red flag is not getting feedback on a project that you contributed to, she added. "You may be fortunate enough to hear it through the grapevine, but you feel as if you are not part of a larger picture."

You've asked for a raise, and you know your salary is below what's normal for your role and location. Still, your company refuses to budge and meet industry standards.

"An employer that's not concerned about what you can offer won't compensate you properly or fairly," Taylor told Insider. "Even if you request a performance evaluation, you may be told it's not necessary, or just ask any questions you may have."

Monetary signs like this can be blatant red flags that you should start job searching, she added. Hence, it's important to advocate for yourself and negotiate for higher pay.

Almost two-thirds of workers say they've gotten passed over for a promotion.

Let's say you're doing excellent work that's superior to your colleagues, but someone less deserving gets a promotion you were in line for — that's a clear sign your company doesn't value your work.

A company that doesn't care about your welfare will largely ignore your requests for assistance or tools you need to deliver the best results, Taylor said.

Disregarding personal obligations, family emergencies, and medical illness are some signs that your boss doesn't care about you. Your boss and work peers might not be your friends, but they should still care about your wellbeing.

Are you a superstar or a super-dud? Taylor said companies that step around politics or are concerned with business will likely never tell you.

"At companies that are political or more concerned with the bottom line, you will languish in a state of the unknown," she said. "You can't get prompt answers."

Most employees would rather know that they're under-performing rather than not hear any feedback at all.

There are certain tactics to build trust among your colleagues, but it only works when it goes both ways.

"For example, if your boss is more concerned about getting a doctor's note to justify your absence from work rather than asking about your health and what they can do for you, this obviously reveals concern for you only as a commodity," Kerr said.

When you took the job, you didn't know you were also signing up for 60 hours a week.

A company that doesn't care about you would refuse to engage in any conversation about flexibility or a working-from-home arrangement, Kerr added.

"When they use bullying tactics or give you ultimatums, you may have a problem on your hands," Kerr told Insider. "Any threatening or intimidation style of behavior that is dismissive of your emotions and reactions means they really don't care about you as a human being."

Any evidence of workplace discrimination or subtle biases may also stop you from advancing in your career.

If you feel that you're the last person to hear about major company developments, you can easily feel that you don't count.

"You may hear things secondhand or by happenstance," Taylor said. "It can kill your morale when the event directly applies to your projects."

Some managers try to keep work relationships professional and avoid talking or asking about your personal life.

But if you notice your boss asks your colleagues about their weekends, kids, or new pets, but not yours, then that's a bad sign, Kerr said.

You never hear praise from your boss when you do things well — which is 99% of the time. But in cases when you make the smallest error, you get an email or an invitation to the office. That's a big sign that your boss is nitpicking your mistakes.

"This is a key sign that they may be taking you for granted and only concerned about your work production," Kerr said.

Taylor said:

When you first sense these signs, your immediate reaction may be to contribute more and perform better — but even that may be met with resistance. Your boss seems to be circumventing you with no apparent cause. Unfortunately, when there is no explanation, the cause can be due to posturing or a land grab by managers who are rising stars, who want to see their own team members advance. Without the support of your manager, it's hard to swim upstream.

It's best to take action through direct communication, while you seek greener pastures, she added.

Some managers might tell you outright that you're replaceable.

"And don't take 'some people would kill for your job!' as a compliment," Kerr said. "Any comments such as these that treat you only as a commodity reflect a lack of genuine interest in your personal well-being."

Jacquelyn Smith contributed to a previous version of this article.

An earlier version of this article appeared on August 23, 2018.