It’s a dream for everyone to have a workplace that is not just inspiring but also supportive and understanding. No matter how many digits shine on the paycheck or how reputable the company is, a toxic work culture can affect your mental health and eventually your physical health. And nothing is truly worth risking one’s health for, is it?
A Dubai-based woman recently narrated an interview experience that reeks of toxicity. Dania Rahman, an Indian-origin digital creator living in Dubai, shared that she recently attended a job interview where she was "insulted, intimidated, and mocked." She said the CEO of the company was vaping on her face during the final round.
Woman Insulted During Interview
Explaining the ordeal in detail, she said that she had a little career gap in her CV, for which she had prepared appropriate answers, but he had said that he couldn’t sit through the interview and accused her of lying. “Mujhe kuch yeh baith nahi raha hain, tum jhoot bol rahi ho,” he had told her. “He scoffed and looked at everybody because he wanted that laugh from everybody,” she added.
Further, he had assumed that she was probably staying at her father’s place and told him that she wanted to “figure out” things in life, and he must have thrown her out of the house.
“Tum aapne baap ke yahaan rah rahi thi, agar main apne baap ke yahaan jaata aur kehta mujhe “figure out” karna hain mera baap mujhe ghar se bahaar nikaal data,” the CEO had said.
“Tumhe to dekh kar lagta hai ki, If I scream at you, you’re going to leave the next day." When he said, ‘If I scream at you, Dania Rahman said she knew this guy was abusive and that she had to get out of there.
The man went on to state an example of a French company where the CEO took away the chairs of all the employees as a punishment so that they stood and did the work. He had also told her that she had “no rights” here and mocked her if she would call the police if he screamed at her.
“Tumhare toh yahaan par rights bhi nahi hain; are you going to go to the police if I scream at you because that’s how I’m going to work?" The CEO didn’t even ask her any questions and went on rambling about it. Dania Rahman thanked him for being transparent about how he works and declined the job offer before walking out.
She concluded the video by encouraging people to recognise abuse and reminding them that they do have the right to file a complaint against a toxic boss or workplace.
Many users asked her to "name and shame” the CEO and the company. Some users shared similar stories of being insulted during interviews, and others lauded her for standing up for herself.
Surviving in a toxic workplace is inflicting torture on yourself. No one should have to endure it, but unfortunately, too many people put up with uncomfortable work environments and toxic bosses, either because they have built a lifestyle and need the paycheck to keep it up or because they have financial and social responsibilities that they cannot evade.
However, nothing is more important than your well-being, because once your health is affected, everything begins to fall apart. And tolerating a toxic work culture will gradually erode your self-confidence and take a toll on your health. So, it’s okay to be on a job hunt for a longer period of time than you planned to. Remember, career and money are important, but not at the cost of your wellbeing.
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