Read on to learn what the worst companies have in common, and whether you’re at one of them.

You can’t boost an employee’s performance with negative criticism, or worse, humiliation. Yet, it’s amazing how many managers seem to think you can do just that. What’s worse is that it’s built into some corporate cultures.

While an inability to praise staffers for a job well done isn’t a hallmark of all terrible companies, many of current and former employees complain that’s an issue.

Another sign that you’re working for a terrible company is that managers and employees alike frequently practice deception. It could be as simple as not giving customers your real name, and it could be as illegal as providing false information to the government. Again, not all terrible companies make lying part of the job description. However, a number of horrible places to work have that in common.

Does your boss expect you to work ’round the clock without receiving any extra bonuses or rewards? Is it an unwritten company policy that your boss looks at you funny if you ask for vacation time?

Business leaders at terrible companies don’t understand that their employees need to maintain a balance between their work and their personal lives. Many former and current employees at places like these will point out this flaw.

Take a second and think about how long it takes to get things done at your office. Compare that length of time to other places you’ve worked. If it’s significantly longer, you’re in a very inefficient office.

Another sign is that the processes in your office have so many steps in them that it’s only natural to expect they’ll take a long time to complete. Inefficient, terrible companies are also unsuccessful companies, so it doesn’t surprise anyone when they fail.

What do your employees think about working at your company? The best way to find out is to carry out an employee feedback exercise. Grapevine Evaluations solves this issue with our multi-rater feedback tool, where everyone who works with an employee will be able to provide honest feedback for him, which can identify how the employee can improve.

Let us walk you through our simple, customizable product, or take a tour on your own, and learn about updating your employee evaluation process so that you can keep your best employees, and provide incentive to the whole team to excel.