The workplace culture is deeply compromised due to the toxic behavior of upper management, which starts from the team leads all the way up to the department heads. Instead of fostering collaboration, trust, and support, these individuals have cultivated an environment driven by micromanagement, fear-based leadership, and favoritism.
Team leads often act more like gatekeepers than guides, suppressing innovation and personal growth. Constructive feedback is rarely welcomed—instead, it's met with defensiveness or even hostility. Rather than inspiring their teams, they demoralize them through public criticism, excessive control, and unrealistic expectations.
As for department heads, they exhibit a serious lack of empathy and leadership. Decisions are often made without consulting those who are actually doing the work, leading to constant back-and-forth changes, misalignment, and wasted time. When issues arise, accountability is almost always pushed downward rather than being owned at the top. There's also an evident "yes-man" culture, where only those who flatter or stay silent are given opportunities—while those who speak up are subtly pushed aside.
There is little to no recognition for hard work, and achievements are often downplayed unless they serve the interests of someone higher up. Morale suffers as a result, and burnout is treated like a personal failing rather than a systemic issue created by poor leadership.