Is My Boss Toxic Quiz
Questions: 15 · 10 minutes
1. When assigning work, how does your boss handle workload and deadlines?
They set demanding but discussable expectations and help clarify priorities.
They occasionally set unrealistic demands but reconsider when constraints are explained.
They repeatedly impose impossible workloads and blame me for predictable conflicts.
They knowingly demand illegal, dangerous, or seriously harmful work under threat, even once.
2. How much control does your boss try to exert over personal matters unrelated to your work?
They keep expectations focused on my role and workplace conduct.
They occasionally ask intrusive questions or offer unwanted personal direction.
They repeatedly pressure me about relationships, appearance, beliefs, or activities outside work.
They use job power to force personal contact, favors, secrecy, or compliance, even once.
3. Think about tense conversations with your boss. What is their usual tone and behavior?
Firm at times, but controlled and focused on the situation.
Occasionally sharp or impatient in a way that unsettles me.
Frequently insulting, contemptuous, or verbally aggressive.
They use screaming, targeted slurs, menacing gestures, or explicit threats, even if only in one incident.
4. How does your boss use performance feedback, schedules, or desirable assignments?
Decisions are explained with job-related criteria and can be discussed.
Decisions can feel inconsistent, though my boss provides at least some work-related explanation.
They repeatedly use ratings, shifts, or assignments to reward loyalty and punish disagreement.
They demand silence, personal favors, or improper conduct in exchange for fair treatment, even once.
5. How consistently does your boss apply rules, opportunities, and performance standards?
Differences generally have clear, work-related explanations.
I notice occasional inconsistencies that may reflect poor organization or judgment.
They repeatedly favor certain people or change standards depending on whom they are judging.
They explicitly use protected traits, personal submission, or threatened punishment to decide treatment, even once.
6. After an employee reports a concern through an appropriate channel, what does your boss do?
They allow the process to proceed without punishing the employee for raising it.
They become cooler or less cooperative for a time, but I see no clear material penalty.
They repeatedly exclude, disadvantage, or target people after concerns are raised.
They threaten or carry out firing, demotion, blacklisting, or other serious retaliation, even once.
7. A project succeeds after you contributed substantial work. How does your boss handle credit?
They recognize contributions with reasonable accuracy.
They sometimes overlook my contribution until I point it out.
They repeatedly claim my work or give credit selectively to favored people.
They deliberately erase my contribution and threaten consequences if I correct the record, even once.
8. Outside your agreed working hours, what does your boss expect regarding messages and calls?
They respect my off-hours except for genuinely agreed or exceptional needs.
They sometimes contact me unnecessarily but accept that I may reply later.
They regularly expect prompt replies without a clear on-call agreement.
They threaten punishment or force constant availability regardless of agreed hours, even if stated only once.
9. When something goes wrong across the team, how is responsibility assigned?
My boss examines decisions and evidence before assigning responsibility.
They sometimes blame too quickly but will consider additional information.
They repeatedly make me a scapegoat while shielding themselves or favored colleagues.
They knowingly fabricate misconduct or force me to accept false blame under threat, even once.
10. After an ordinary mistake, how does your boss communicate with you?
They explain the impact and what needs to change.
They sometimes make the criticism personal before discussing the solution.
They repeatedly call me incompetent, lazy, or otherwise attack my character.
They use degrading abuse or threaten severe personal or professional harm, even once.
11. How does your boss respond when you respectfully disagree or raise a concern?
They may disagree, but they let me speak and respond to the issue.
They sometimes become curt or dismissive, then return to a workable discussion.
They regularly ridicule, interrupt, or question my loyalty for speaking up.
They threaten my job, status, references, immigration position, or reputation for speaking up, even once.
12. What best describes your boss’s monitoring of your work?
They use proportionate check-ins or disclosed systems relevant to the job.
They check more often than I find useful, but the monitoring remains work-related.
They repeatedly demand unnecessary proof, track minor movements, or intrude beyond reasonable work needs.
They secretly monitor private activity, demand passwords, or use surveillance to threaten or coerce me, even once.
13. When your boss criticizes your work in front of other people, what most closely matches your experience?
They keep criticism private and address the work without belittling me.
They made one pointed public comment that left me uncomfortable.
They repeatedly use public criticism, sarcasm, or embarrassment to make their point.
They deliberately humiliate me or invite others to mock or pile on, even if it happened only once.
14. Has your boss used physical presence or objects to frighten you during a workplace interaction?
No; they maintain physical space and do not use objects or movement to intimidate me.
They once stood uncomfortably close or handled an object aggressively, but I could leave freely.
They repeatedly invade my space, block normal movement, slam objects, or use similar intimidation.
They blocked my exit, threw something toward me, touched or restrained me, or used physical force, even once.
15. You request approved leave or a necessary medical break. What is your boss most likely to do?
Follow the applicable process and discuss coverage or adjustments respectfully.
Show frustration or pressure me to reconsider, but ultimately follow the process.
Repeatedly obstruct, shame, or penalize me for reasonable leave or breaks.
Threaten my job, force me to work in unsafe circumstances, or deny access to urgent care, even once.