
The Painful Truth - Is Your Workplace Toxic?
From Work Unplugged by Amrit Sandhar
February 10, 2026 · 13 min · Season 1 · Episode 23
About this episode
Amrit Sandhar explores the reasons why individuals remain in toxic work environments despite their negative experiences.
Why do people continue to work in toxic environments? Rational, bright and sane individuals endure the daily grind of subjecting themselves to toxic environments, but why? Many people have heard of the 996 culture in tech - 9 am to 9pm, six days a week. These people are celebrated, and we're told they love working the hours, as they love being in states of 'flow'. When you ask those people who hate their work, some will tell you that it's great. They can't seem to face into the fact that their workplace might be toxic, leading to cognitive dissonance. Do they talk themselves out of how bad it really is? Sometimes, we all need to face into the painful truth, that this is not the place for us, and we need to get out. Join Amrit as he explores why people stay, why they continue to publicly endorse their organisation, despite all they experience. The Painful Truth - Is Your Workplace Toxic?, this week's podcast.
People in this episode
Host: Amrit Sandhar
Topics covered
- toxic workplace
- cognitive dissonance
- work culture
- employee retention
- mental health
Keywords
- toxic environment
- workplace culture
- employee satisfaction
- 996 culture
- cognitive dissonance
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: 996 culture
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