When you hear the word "cult," you might think about dangerous high-control groups like NXIVM or the Manson Family, but cult-like behavior can occur in many areas of our society — including at work.
So if you've ever worked somewhere that felt a bit like a cult, we want to hear from you.
Maybe you took a job at a start up where you were really impressed with how dedicated everyone seemed to be to their work. It really felt like all of your coworkers were living and breathing the company's mission and everybody seemed to be on the same page. However, after a few months, you started to notice a dark side to the company, like the way that even legitimate criticism got swept under the rug to keep up appearances. You even heard about people getting fired for not going along with some questionable things the company was doing.
Or perhaps you started working at a company that offered a ton of amenities for employees. From catered meals to dry cleaning services, you couldn't believe how much stuff was taken care of. You really liked it at first, but after months of being pressured to work late into the night, all those perks and services started to seem pretty manipulative and you saw them for what they really were: tools to keep you from going home so you'd work longer and longer. Even worse, people glorified and glamorized staying at work until the point of burnout.
Or maybe you worked for a retailer that made you start each shift by saying a chant with your coworkers. It made you kinda uncomfortable at first, but you did it anyway because you didn't want to rock the boat. Eventually, you got used to it and it didn't seem that weird anymore... until a new hire pulled you aside one day and said, "Doesn't this feel a little bit culty?"
