Understanding what ‘company culture’ is and why it’s important
Dear Sam: I keep hearing the term “company culture.” What does this mean? What determines if it’s a good or a bad culture? — Dennis
Dear Dennis: Company culture is made up of many components. Some of those components might include ethics, work environment, flexibility, mission, expectations, etc.
As you stated, company culture has become quite a big deal. After one week of training, Zappos offers $2,000 to its new hires to quit if they don’t feel like the position is a good fit. Why? Their hiring process is highly based on cultural fit, and they want to ensure that every person on the team wants to be there. Some cultural elements at Zappos include an open office plan, a nap with massage chairs positioned beneath an overhead aquarium (check out the episode of Tanked to see it being built!), team happy hours and the allowance to provide the highest of care for customers, meaning no time limit for customer-service calls — the longest of which
was clocked at 10 hours and 32 minutes.
Google is another company that’s wellknown for its culture. Google heavily focuses on professional development by bringing in lecturers and scheduling personal project time for each employee. Google also emphasizes employee well-being by having a dog-friendly office policy, nap pods and free massages. Google knows it pays off to invest in its employees, and as a result, 86 percent of Google employees report being “extremely” or “fairly” satisfied with their jobs. Considering that about 50 percent of Americans say they are “unhappy” in their current employment, this is quite impressive.
These different elements of Zappos and Google contribute to the overall genetic makeup of the company and help to define their company culture.
To address your second question, I think what determines a good company culture can differ, depending on individuals and their working styles. Do you value structure and a consistent schedule, or do you work better with flexibility and change? Take a look at the personalities of the employees in the company for which you want to work. Do you have similar or complementary personalities? Do your values align? What sort of environment allows you to work best?
Certainly, there are red flags to avoid when examining a culture, such as toxic communication, gossip and overall low morale, but a lot about a “good culture” will determine what fits you as an individual. Let’s run through different ways you can learn about a company’s culture.
What does the company’s online presence say about it? Usually, you’ll be able to find information about a company’s culture on its website under “About Us” or “Our Story.” You can also check out the company’s social-media accounts — how it interacts with others online and what other people say about it on social media.
Ask an employee. Utilize your networking skills, and connect with someone from the company. Then take some time, perhaps over coffee or via a phone call, to discuss workplace culture. To make the most of your time together, prepare for the meeting. Some of your questions might include the following: What did your onboarding look like? How is change approached? How is conflict handled? What makes you proud to work there?
When interviewing with a potential employer, collect intel on the culture. Ask each person you speak with how long he or she has been with the company, ask about schedules and the flexibility or formality expected, ask about the dress code, and perhaps ask about Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) or other culture-shaping opportunities. While these questions won’t necessarily all tie back to company culture, they can provide some insight for you during your interview.
Also, pay attention to the way the interview was set up, what the process was like and how it ended. Were you greeted and offered water? Was your time respected? Were clear deadlines set for the next steps? These can all be clear indicators of the company culture as well.
I hope this was a helpful dive into what good company culture is, what it can look like and how you can identify it. I wish you all the best on your professional journey.
— Samantha Nolan is an advanced personal-branding strategist and career expert and is the founder and CEO of Nolan Branding. Do you have a resume, career or job-search question for Dear Sam? Reach Samantha at dearsam@nolanbranding.com. For more information about Nolan Branding’s services, visit www.nolanbranding.com, or call 888-9-MY-BRAND or 614-570-3442.