Good company culture is a crucial aspect of professional life. Look at these 11 important indications of good workplace culture before accepting a job offer or use them to evaluate your new employer.
Whether you’re deciding to accept a job offer, are looking for a new role or just started a new position, one of the most important aspects of your professional life will be the workplace culture. The office or organization’s environment or “vibe” is so powerful that it can make or break your job experience and result either in your long-term employment or, in the worst circumstances, your speedy retreat back to the job market.
A recent BioSpace employer branding survey underscores the value of a good workplace culture. It asked respondents to rate the importance of several factors when considering staying at their employer. Company culture ranked third, with 61% of respondents rating it as very important.
But what determines or reflects a good company culture? It’s often a little difficult to articulate, but there are concrete, quantifiable factors to watch out for that indicate a company or workplace’s health and employees’ happiness levels at work.
11 Important Indications of Good Company Culture
Here are the most important things to look for that reveal if your prospective or new job is a great place to work.
1. Long-term employees
Low employee turnover is a strong indicator of a good company culture. Happy, engaged employees are more likely to stay put. If you can, ask your prospective or new boss or HR representative how long the people in your department have been employed with the company. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that, ask your prospective or new co-workers when they started working there and what the turnover is like.
2. Not just colleagues, but friends
A great work environment is a breeding ground for genuine friendships. When co-workers choose to spend time with each other, even outside of the office, you know that the professional dynamic is going to be just as positive.
3. Workplace involvement
A good company culture supports involvement and provides positive, fun ways for employees to get together for personal and professional development activities, within and outside normal company hours. And the success of the culture is indicated in the level of each employee’s involvement.
For example, if the company is sponsoring a charity event or fundraiser on a Saturday morning and most everyone in the organization shows up willingly, you know that the employees feel invested and excited to be there. That said, make sure the company does not expect you to give up too much of your personal time. You want to make sure you have an excellent work-life balance.
4. Transparency
Secrets or a lack of communication from the top down creates a culture of insecurity and uncertainty. Workplaces with positive cultures support a philosophy of transparency—open and honest communication—so that every team member feels they know where they stand and where the company is headed.
5. Clear mission and values
A good company culture doesn’t just manifest itself out of thin air. First, it has to be articulated and communicated throughout the organization, and then it can be lived out by leadership and employees at every level. Positive company culture has values that every employee knows by heart. These values and the mission are accessible and branded into all of the company’s internal and external communications.
6. Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB)
If everyone in an organization fits the same demographic and some don’t receive support based on their needs so they can succeed, don’t get a seat at the table or feel excluded, that should be a red flag in terms of culture. Great companies and institutions embrace diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. This should be reflected in the teams and employees you interact with daily.
7. Wins are celebrated
Great companies have clear processes in place for recognizing employee achievements on a regular basis. This shows that a good company culture makes recognizing performance a priority, announcing to everyone the value employees bring.
8. Leaders are visible and accessible
Employees support leaders who are visible and accessible. When an organization’s leaders are front and center and make themselves available to everyone, it creates a sense that “we’re all in this together.” Employees are much more likely to feel good about the goals they’re working toward and the company’s mission.
9. Comfortable workspaces
The type of physical environment that employees work in each day can go a long way in determining how people feel about their jobs and their employer. Comfortable workspaces with amenities that people care about contribute significantly to morale levels. Ask your potential employer what type of amenities they offer at their workplace. Some places will provide standing or even treadmill desks, lactation or wellness rooms, collaboration spaces with comfortable couches and more to attract and keep employees.
10. Absence of gossip or office politics
Healthy work environments never include gossip or office politics. While a small amount of this happens in any group setting, it should be the exception, not the rule. Each employee should feel respected and valued.
11. Ongoing professional development opportunities
Job satisfaction is closely tied to opportunities for growth, advancement, learning and promotions. Organizations with strong infrastructures that support employee growth, both in philosophy and with actual resources and budgets, validate their commitment to each person’s professional development and foster a strong sense of culture and community.
Should You Stay or Should You Go?
Is your prospective or new job missing too many of the 11 signs of a good company culture for your comfort? You may want to evaluate whether it’s worth taking that position or, if you just started, staying put at your employer. Other features of employment may matter more to you, such as exceptional compensation and benefits or the opportunity to do meaningful work in a higher role than you’ve had before. However, good company culture can go a long way toward keeping you happy at the place where you spend so much time throughout the year.
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