Now more than ever, professionals are looking to company culture to inform their job decisions.
And for most, workplace culture is about far more than enticing amenities or compelling benefits (although, yes, those do matter!). A healthy workplace culture is often indicative of a successful, resilient company. Not only that, today's job candidates want to do meaningful work, and they largely want to do so in an environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion thrive.
In this article, we'll outline why company culture matters, how to assess it, and questions to ask about company culture.
Let's get started.
Reporting during The Great Resignation showed that one of the top reasons people quit their jobs was due to "toxic company culture." That's right. A company's work culture matters. It speaks to the resilience of your organization and the degree to which collaboration and innovation are possible (More on how diverse workplaces and cultures can lead to diversity and innovation here).
So, what is company culture anyway? Here are a couple leading definitions:
In all, a healthy, robust company culture is a marker of a workplace we all want to be a part of. We all want our perspectives and ideas to be heard, valued, and respected by the people around us. We want to contribute to a shared vision where each team member has a mission and an equitable opportunity to thrive.
If you're ready to assess the work culture at your prospective new workplace, keep reading.
Conducting basic research about the organization you're interested in or interviewing at can tell you a lot about the company culture. Look into the history of the company; their origin story can sometimes tell you about the organizational values more than their missions/values statement can. Read some of the leadership biographies, including C-suite members and directors on the board. What do their backgrounds, expertises, and passions tell you about what the company values? If available, use resources like LinkedIn to see how long team members have worked there. Employees who have invested years of their career at an organization are typically a sign of a positive work culture. On the flip side, keeping tabs on the company's job postings can help you see if the workplace is a revolving door of employees.
Throughout the interview process, you'll likely have opportunities to speak with current employees at the hiring company. This may be through an informal coffee meetup or in a group panel interview. Take advantage of these opportunities to dive deeper into the company culture. In addition to learning from current employees, resources like Glassdoor can offer insights into the experiences of former coworkers.
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During your interactions with the hiring company, be watchful for signs of toxic company culture. Remember, these are just signs; they may be nothing more. But in some cases, they can be opportunities to press in and ask questions about anything that concerns you.
A few signs of toxic workplace culture can include:
Open-ended questions can create a space for you to explore an organization's work culture without the risk of sounding overly cynical or skeptical. Here are some questions to ask about company culture:
At AboveBoard, we're on a mission to reshape the global executive workforce to be representative of the population, creating lasting and meaningful change in the world.. We know that a diverse executive leadership can improve business performance, drive fairer hiring practices, and support more inclusive company cultures. Join AboveBoard today to get direct access to executive leaders, VP and above, who represent a diverse range of communities, skill sets, and professional strengths.