Watch Jennifer’s Interview About Toxic Productivity

In This Video, Jennifer Plays Red Flag /Green Flag on Breakfast Television

Jennifer Moss Talks Toxic Workplaces on Breakfast Television

Updated November 2025

Jennifer Moss, author of Why Are We Here, was invited to join Tim and Dina on Breakfast Television to discuss how to identify the signs of a toxic workplace—and what to do about them.

To make the conversation fun and engaging, Jennifer led the hosts through a round of Red Flag / Green Flag, a game designed to spotlight common workplace dynamics and how to evaluate them.

Here are the three scenarios they explored:

• Question #1: Your boss is a big fan of “loud vacations”—openly sharing when they’re taking time off.
  Red flag or green flag?
  Answer: Green flag – When leaders model healthy behaviour like taking a vacation, it permits others to do the same. Employees can’t be what they can’t see.
  However, if your boss is the only one who feels they can take time off, due to workload or workplace norms, that’s a red flag.

• Question #2: Everyone at work is “dining al desko”—eating lunch at their desks to be more productive.
  Red flag or green flag?
  Answer: Red flag – Skipping breaks in the name of productivity backfires. Taking micro-breaks is essential for sustained performance. Even better: eat lunch with a friend. Research shows that just 20 minutes of social lunch with a coworker each week reduces mistakes and boosts job satisfaction.

• Question #3: Your company puts a lot of emphasis on “going above and beyond.”
  Red flag or green flag?
  Answer: Red flag – “Above and beyond” has no universal definition, and it often fuels hustle culture. It can also exclude certain groups who may not have the same capacity to overextend. Instead, managers should clearly define expectations and what success looks like. Replace “above and beyond” with: “We’re in this together.”

Originally aired on Breakfast Television — watch the original segment here.