We all know that one person who will say, “Every workplace has its own problems.”
And yes, that’s true.
But there is a difference between having a stressful job and working somewhere that slowly makes you question every decision that led you there.
For some people, it’s staying in the office until midnight like the office is their second home. For others, it’s discovering that the “hybrid role” they applied for somehow became fully on-site. Then there are those who were promised benefits during interviews, only to start chasing HR for them months later.
Sometimes, the toxicity isn’t even about the workload.
It’s the culture.
We asked people to share some of their worst workplace experiences, and honestly, some of these stories will make you grateful for your own office.
1. Chinedu- Your Team Lead Is Basically a God
When I first joined the company, I thought having a team lead meant having someone who would guide you, protect you and help you navigate the workplace.
I was wrong.
Our team lead was basically the god of the department.
Whatever they said was final. If there was a disagreement between you and them, you already knew how the story would end.
And the frustrating part wasn’t even the team lead alone.
It was management.
Anytime there was an issue, management would hear their side first and somehow, that was enough.
You could explain yourself. You could provide context. You could even have people who witnessed what happened.
It didn’t matter rara.
The person you expected to protect you had become the person you were afraid of, and the people you expected to listen to you had already decided who was right.
Eventually, you just learnt to keep quiet.
You stopped raising concerns because you already knew how it would end.
And honestly, that’s one of the worst things about a toxic workplace.
When employees no longer feel safe enough to speak up, the problem isn’t just one difficult team lead.
The entire system has become the problem.
I eventually realized that no job was worth constantly walking on eggshells.
So I chose myself and left.
2. Darasimi- When Your Office Becomes Your Second Home
When I joined the company, one thing immediately caught my attention.
Everyone seemed to have a survival kit at their desk.
Extra clothes. Shoes. Beauty products.
Some people even had enough personal belongings in the office to make you wonder if they were planning to relocate permanently.
At first, I didn’t understand it.
I thought maybe people just liked keeping extra things around.
Then I started noticing that some of my colleagues weren’t going home.
The office had become their second home.
There was no real “work ends at 5” mentality. If there was a deadline, you stayed until the work was done.
And sometimes, that meant staying late into the night.
The worst part?
There was no compensation for the extra hours.
It wasn’t even treated like something unusual. It was simply expected.
The expectation was that you should be available whenever work demanded it.
Eventually, I realised that this wasn’t the kind of life I wanted.
I don’t mind working hard. But if my job requires me to practically move into the office, then something is wrong.
I knew that life wasn’t cut out for me.
3. Joseph- The “Hybrid Role” That Magically Became Fully On-Site
When I first applied for the job, I was told it was a hybrid role.
Perfect.
I was already excited about the flexibility.
Then, shortly after I resumed, I was asked to come on-site the next day to oversee a few things.
Okay, fair enough.
It’s work. Sometimes you need to show up.
But somehow, that “come in tomorrow” slowly became:
“Everyone is expected to be on-site every day.”
Wait.
When did we agree to this abegg?
I went back to what I had been told during the recruitment process and even checked the documents I signed.
Hybrid.
Not fully on-site.
Yet HR expected everyone to show up every day.
And honestly, I struggled to understand why.
There were tasks I knew I could complete just as effectively from home, and I felt I was more productive when I had that flexibility.
What frustrated me most was that the role I accepted wasn’t the role I eventually found myself doing.
And sometimes, that’s the problem.
It’s not that people don’t want to work.
People just want employers to be honest about what they’re signing up for.
4. Osahon- When Your HMO Exists Only During the Interview
During my interview, I asked an important question:
“Is there HMO?”
I was told yes.
After three months.
Fine. I waited.
Three months came. No HMO.
I asked about it and was told something completely different.
Apparently, I should just bring my medical receipts and the company would cover the cost.
Okay na.
Then, during my fifth month at the company, I fell seriously ill.
I spent almost ₦100,000 on treatment.
I took the receipts to HR and Finance, expecting the company to reimburse me as I had been told.
Guess how much I got? ₦20,000!!!!
Apparently, that was what their policy covered.
Twenty thousand naira.
Out of almost one hundred thousand.
Who does that nonsense?
At that point, I realised I couldn’t continue.
It’s one thing to have workplace policies.
It’s another thing to tell employees one thing during recruitment and give them a completely different reality after they resume.
I eventually left because I decided to take my life seriously.
We only get one chance in life.
No job is worth sacrificing your peace, health and wellbeing for.
The Real Problem With Toxic Workplaces
These experiences are different, but they all point to something similar.
A toxic workplace isn’t always a boss screaming at you every morning.
Sometimes, it’s an environment where boundaries don’t exist, promises aren’t kept, employees don’t feel heard and speaking up feels pointless.
And because people need jobs, many employees stay longer than they should.
They keep telling themselves:
“Let me just manage.”
Until “managing” becomes their entire life.
A job is supposed to support your livelihood, not consume your entire existence.
Because at the end of the day, no salary is worth losing yourself over.
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