15+ Employees Who Spotted Red Flags At the Workplace: 'Instantly makes you want to quit.'

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jun 9, 2026 3:15 PM EDT

Which specific workplace phrase raises a red flag for you? 

While applying for jobs, you'll come across numerous phrases or bits of jargon that should make you think twice about hitting that apply button. 

For example: you know those jobs that offer a ridiculously high salary for seemingly very little work? The description will offer applicants like, 5 grand per day. Then, in the fine print, you'll see something that says that there's unlimited earning potential… through commissions. 

Don't apply to that job unless you're an extremely charismatic salesperson who can charm anyone they encounter. For most people, it means they're going to be making cold calls all day long, and only getting paid if someone actually makes a purchase. 

They could make 5 grand a month, but only if every single caller decided to max out their credit card. Instead, they'll be doing tons of work for peanuts.

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  • Job applicant looks unimpressed with job interview while sitting across from hiring manager, in a depiction by a model.
    via Ahmet Kurt

    Job applicant looks unimpressed with job interview while sitting across from hiring manager, in a depiction by a model.

  • The hiring manager can plaster a smile on their face and insist that the employee just isn't being convincing enough. But we all know what's really going on: that company is providing an unrealistic expectation for their freshly-hired worker. 

    These folks also spotted some red flags at their own workplaces, and in some cases, gave some excellent advice as to what phrases to spot while you're searching for that new job. Once you know these phrases, you're able to see right through all the jargon, and understand the covert meanings behind all the corporate buzzwords. 

  • They value flattery, actually

    Altruistic_Dust123 "We value honesty." Dear reader, they absolutely do not value honesty, no matter how diplomatic and professionally it is given.
    via Altruistic_Dust123
  • Blondeb ht "Fast paced environment" = we burn everyone out, and think it's ok!
    via Blondeb----t--s
  • Job interview in progress, with hiring manager explaining the office culture, as represented by 2 models.
    via wocintechchat

    Job interview in progress, with hiring manager explaining the office culture, as represented by 2 models.

  • Why would someone want to play hard with their coworkers? Don't we all want to go home to our families instead?

    Gr8NonSequitur "We work hard and play hard." In my experiance it means you'll be constantly over worked and stressed and expected to go down to the bar at the end of the week with your coworkers and drink away half your paycheck to numb the pain.
    via Gr8NonSequitur

  • Big warning sign with this one

    hombre_sincero "Looking for someone who can just jump right in" This means (and Im living it now) "There's no onboarding. No training. No process. No policies. Everything is everywhere. Getting other teams to work with you is not going to happen easily. But you are responsible for chasing
    via hombre_sincero

    Truly baffling how so many workplaces view training as a necessary evil instead of just a part of any onboarding process. They'd rather have someone train for a day or two, then make big mistakes for months, rather than just dedicate a proper amount of time to training in the first place. 

  • Job candidate lists out his concerns during an interview, as represented by a model.
    via Getty Images

    Job candidate lists out his concerns during an interview, as represented by a model.

  • them down constantly and will never know when they have changed their answer to something so you WILL have to chase down an answer to everything, every time. Our customers are mad at us because we take forever to do anything and guve conflicting information but we dont know why and aren't curious about it.
    via hombre_sincero
  • And if you don't complain about this and if you work 60 hours a week to do what could take you 30 if we acted normal, we will call you a 'rockstar' sometimes in Slack."
    via hombre_sincero
  • An open plan office full of workers busy typing away at their desks.
    via Arlington Research

    An open plan office full of workers busy typing away at their desks.

  • This is belittling

    4Falcor An "appreciation" award that is a $25 gift card for working 80-90 hours a week instead of the promotion and raise deserved.
    via 4Falcor

  • This is the concept I mentioned at the start of this piece

    chalk_in_boots "Unlimited earning potential through commission" Yeah you're going to find ways to screw me out of paying commission. Either you'll change the rates it's earned at, maybe you'll say I only get it if I hit an almost unattainable KPI. Tell me
    via chalk_in_boots

    Commission doesn't come easy! You're going to have a lot of customers turn you down before you get paid for your eventual successes. 

  • what the median employee in the role earns through commission each month.
    via chalk_in_boots

  • Nobody wants to wear a lot of hats, because they'd look ridiculous, wouldn't they?

    herocreator90 "Wear a lot of hats" - we are disorganized and no one has clearly defines roles. Your days will fill with excess rather than what you applied for. Because there's no definition, there's no
    via herocreator90

    Saying this phrase is such a giveaway that your company is scrambling and working on a shoestring budget.

  • promotion criteria or advancement. Management turnover is probably high which is why so many hats are there to be worn in the first place.
    via herocreator90

  • A classic phrase that has come to take on a more sinister meaning the more time goes on

    West-Forever8365 "We're a family!"... Meaning you're expected to work free overtime, and take part in 2- hour long team-building exercises weekly in your free time, but they have a foosball table somewhere... and you'll probably get fired if you spend too much there. Seriously, if you hear that... RUN. Don't walk, just RUN.
    via West-Forever8365
  • No_Strategy_For_Me 'Working committees' that are billed as 'leadership opportunities' when in reality the committee is doing tasks that should be completed by a FTE or another team
    via No_Strategy_For_Me
  • Numerous_Working_631 "Unlimited" vacation days
    via Numerous_Working_631
  • negativeyoda A place i worked bought everyone dinner if you worked past 6. I got sh from my manager for leaving at 5... like i was paid to
    via negativeyoda
  • Aggresive-Irreverent Any "go-getter" type language (jump in feet first, etc.). It usually just means they aren't going to train you, and they expect you to just figure it out.
    via Aggresive-Irreverent
  • Genghiskhen My department got outsourced to a company who tried to tell us what a good position we were in because of the large number of people who had been there less than five years. I saw it as "nobody wants to stay here".
    via Genghiskhen
  • After two years, 90% of us had left the company, mostly involuntarily.
    via Genghiskhen
  • bostonronin I got an offer from a small publishing company once that halfway through the description of benefits, I was pretty sure I was not going to take, and then the person making the offer was like, "You know, sometimes people like working here so much, they volunteer for extra hours for free!"
    via bostonronin
  • I had already been kinda creeped out during the interview when they walked me around the office afterwards and everyone was hunched over their desks and not talking to each other, and that comment during the offer made me run for the hills.
    via bostonronin
  • zerotime2sleep Anonymous surveys are absolutely NEVER anonymous
    via zerotime2sleep
  • Dismal-Ad-9183 I thought a significant portion of the company having tenure of 10+ years was a good sign... Turns out most of these folks are complacent, inflexible and not hireable elsewhere
    via Dismal-Ad-9183
  • OM3GAS7RIK3 "Open office" and "flexible seating". Worked at a place that implemented it well after a study indicated it was terrible for a large corporate environment, and it sure was! The random interactions and in-person collaboration all but vanished, because when
    via OM3GAS7RIK3
  • there were cubicles, people would go chat with each other all the time, was more private, etc, didn't feel like people were looking over your shoulder all the time. Open office, nobody talked with anybody (the execs. literally believed random strangers from different groups would overhear work discussions and jump in with
    via OM3GAS7RIK3
  • neat collab ideas or some BS), and was exacerbated by a "phased return to office" such that if you weren't in the same physical site as your team, there was effectively no reason to be in the office (because what friends you did have were likely on a different rotation). Moreover, any noise, talking, typing, coughing, walking, any noise carried, making it
    via OM3GAS7RIK3
  • harder to focus. Combined with the lack of privacy, productivity suffered. No matter how "hip" and "exciting" open office sounds, trust me, you're gonna want a dedicated cubicle.
    via OM3GAS7RIK3
  • Rusted One "Training" In the form of "Philosophies" or "Culture" sh.
    via Rusted One
  • monkey_boy45 Pizza parties. Screw pizza parties
    via monkey_boy45
  • Char10 Catered lunch daily. Saves money but it implies that they don't expect you to leave for lunch, or take a long break.
    via Char10
  • freshmutz1 when they brag about having a ping pong table. the reality is if you actually play ping pong you will get side-eyed and they'll consider you lazy and possibly justify firing you over it.
    via freshmutz1
  • fatboybigwall I had a boss once try to convince me that my commute (which could be two hours if traffic was bad) was a benefit because it was relaxation time...
    via fatboybigwall
  • NorthBoralia Being expected to participate in meetings on my day off. It was always framed as 'being a team player' and, 'what's the big deal, youre getting paid?'. Funny, ive had union jobs and non-union jobs. Not attending meetings on my day off was never an issue on union jobs.
    via NorthBoralia

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