Company culture has always been a hot topic, but recently the conversation surrounding the ideal culture has shifted. With Millennials paving the way in seeking more meaningful work, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the most important factors of culture. Workers are now leaving their jobs if they feel unsatisfied and looking for opportunities where they feel they can make a real difference. Some employees are even sacrificing higher pay for team compatibility and a pleasant work environment; which makes sense, if you're going to spend the majority of your time/life working, wouldn't you rather be apart of a company whose culture matches your own. However, before you find the best company culture for you, you need to know what you're looking for.
What is company culture?
Company culture is the atmosphere or "vibe" of the office including the people you will work with and the policies in place. For example, some trendy startup companies may have an open floor plan where everyone sits at one big table, working collaboratively. Some companies may offer perks such as free meals, casual office attire, and schooling, gym memberships, etc. More traditional, corporate companies have cubicles for entry to mid-level workers and offices for management. Jeans are typically only acceptable on Fridays and your office hours are the standard 9-5 (or 6 if you're in NYC). There's more structure here and there is a hierarchy that only time will reveal as you climb the ranks of the corporate ladder. There are also companies that are a hybrid of startups and large corporations. You may find a company that has the perks of a startup but operates like a well-oiled corporate machine. Company culture goes beyond what's on the surface affecting way people interact with one another and the way management conducts itself. Past the fun snacks and happy hours, are the people who work there encouraging, energetic, and innovative? Or are they negative, complacent, and unmotivated? Is there room for a little play or is it a more serious atmosphere? A company that actively hires inspiring people is going to encourage a stimulating and creative atmosphere. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, describes the Facebook culture as a casual work environment with an open door policy and motivational posters hung along the walls. In fact, the door is so open that Facebook employees are encouraged to speak up if they disagree with anyone in management, including Mark Zuckerberg.
Discover what you want
The first step to uncovering the company culture that's best for you is by determining what you want to achieve. Do you want to have slow and steady growth within a company or do you want to hit the ground running? Do you prefer people who are compassionate or do you keep business and emotion separate? Do you like competition or collaboration? Whatever your choice, it's important you stick to your values first and foremost because culture impacts your engagement, job loyalty, and burnout resistance. This is the time to be picky and take your time in making an educated decision because your life depends on it. There is nothing worse than being blind-sided by free snacks and standing desks only to realize your leaders don't have your best interests at heart.
Do your research
When 24 Seven recruiters want to gain insight into the way a company operates, they turn to Glassdoor. Using Glassdoor you are able to uncover both former and current employee’s opinions of the companies they've worked for. There’s no better judge of an organization than someone who has actually worked there, and on Glassdoor you’ll see it all, the good, the bad and the ugly. 24 Seven is proud to have a 4.1 gold star rating. You could say we have a knack for finding the right cultural match! When a company truly puts its employees first, it will show in any online review so long as your do your research. Better to find out what you're getting yourself into early on, rather than 3 months down the line after you've already accepted the job offer.
Work with a recruiter
A sure way to get a job at a company whose culture is a perfect match for you is by working with a recruiter. Recruiters are highly trained professional matchmakers if you will. They form extremely close-knit professional relationships with both their clients (companies) and candidates. An informal conversation with a candidate, is all a recruiter needs to determine the type of environment in which he/she would thrive. The process works in the other direction as well, recruiters have been working with most of their clients for years so they're able to give you an honest perspective of a company's culture. It’s a recruiters goal to make both parties happy at the end of the day. Browse our recent job openings and apply today!