Spot Healthy Company Culture with These 5 Tips

As you venture into the world of active job searching, there’s one question you’ll need to answer first: What are you looking for in your next job? This could be anything from an increase in pay, a more flexible work schedule, or healthy company culture. Regardless of choice, your interpretation of a good job should be clearly defined before accepting a new role.

Sufficient earnings and the opportunity for a less demanding schedule are undoubtedly appealing components of a ‘good’ job. However, the thought of being employed by a company that runs on toxic culture can be a deal-breaker for many, despite the perks. While on your journey, we strongly suggest pursuing an organization that suits both your work style and values.

Discover What’s Important to You

Company culture is a reflection of the beliefs and values leadership holds within the organization. Ideally, these views are apparent and translated into goals and policies which constitute company-wide standards. Some form of corporate culture is always present and can be detected despite the size of the company.

Company culture comes in all different shapes and sizes. What one finds to be ideal may not necessarily be the same for another. An organization that encourages risk-taking and creativity may not be the best fit if you’re one who thrives in a structure-based environment. If you’re a new parent, perhaps a company that champions work-life balance should be on your radar. Take the time to determine what’s of the utmost importance to you as you search for your new opportunity.

During the interview process, you’ll find that if a company wants to hire you, it will likely emphasize its strengths and downplay its pitfalls. Here is where you’ll need to exercise your due diligence. Take a few steps beyond the standard interview process to better determine if the company is a good fit.

Consider these examples to help spot an organization with healthy company culture:

1. Essential job satisfaction

   What better way to determine the health of a company’s culture than by hearing from those who work (or have worked) in the environment? Finding out if employees are fulfilled in their position says a lot about a company. And because hunting down employees for feedback isn’t the most logical way to conclude company culture, we instead suggest using resources like Glassdoor or LinkedIn. Both of these sites offer job seekers legitimate evaluations from employees, helping you gather a clearer picture of what it’s like to work for the organization of interest.

2. Work-life balance

   As we enter the post-pandemic era, work-life balance is more important than ever to job seekers. Finding out how management encourages balance and flexibility in employees’ lives can be the basis for healthy company culture. Should life’s unpredictability step in, will this employer work with you? When you’re feeling overwhelmed and need some time off, will this be an issue? The answer to both these questions will serve as great indicators in your decision-making process. It’s also a good idea to consider how the company makes an effort to promote employee wellness – both mentally and physically.

3. Camaraderie and cooperation

   In healthy organizational culture, leaders set the bar for accountability and celebration within the company. Searching the internet for corporate websites and social media accounts is an easy and effective way to determine how the company values its staff. Does their website acknowledge its staff or include any mid-level employee perspective? Can you find any employee shoutouts on their profiles? Sharing success is a great way to help employees feel their work doesn’t go unnoticed.

4. Career development

   How does the organization contribute to the learning and development of its employees? Is employee growth facilitated in the workplace? Try to find out what the company offers in terms of training, further education, and how much of the cost they will cover. During your interview, you can also ask the employer to provide examples of how people have used the company’s development incentives to move up.

5. Beyond the facade of leadership

   How do ensure goals and values stick in the workplace? Qualities are first reinforced from the top down. Management should live by values that promote innovation and efficiency within their staff. Look for feedback from employers which includes opinions on whether management adheres to their own ideals. Does the company micromanage in order to produce results? Finding out if managers trust their employees to make the right decisions says a lot about overall staff satisfaction.

Finding the Right Fit

Let’s face it, not all of us are ready to ask our interviewer those upfront questions on the health of their company culture. Therefore, if you’re looking for a more passive, yet effective approach, take these 4 suggestions into consideration. We recommend establishing answers to these questions prior to an interview. That way, you have a better idea if this position is truly something you’d like to pursue.

Healthy company culture is the backbone of a productive work environment. Without positive company culture, many organizations find that employees have trouble finding true value in their work, leading to a slew of other concerns. Glades Talent sets the bar higher than the competition. We create an atmosphere that balances both efficiency and enjoyment. As a result, we continue to deliver top talent while maintaining employee satisfaction across the board. Learn more about the difference a healthy company culture makes in your next career choice by visiting www.gladestalent.com