A study by Flexjobs shows escaping a toxic work culture is one of the most common reasons why people quit. That’s why it is important to find the right team culture before accepting an offer, ensuring you continue doing your best work. So, how do you assess whether a team culture is right for you? Here’s what you need to know about identifying and assessing a team culture.
Identify your ideal team culture
Knowing the culture you want to work with is step one. We need to understand our own values, goals, and the overall personality before we can truly judge whether a team’s culture is the right fit.
Ask yourself — how do I fit in here? Will this serve my intended career trajectory? You might learn the career growth you’re envisioning doesn’t exist at this new job. Or, it could be an excellent opportunity to learn and expand your skills, in which case, you would want to seize the opportunity.
Culture is about people
You can learn a lot about a group from their website or articles in the news, but you can’t learn everything about a team culture online — your greatest resource is and always will be other people. So, make sure you do your due diligence.
Connect with:
- Former employees
- Current employees
- Previous contacts
Check your network for contacts who may have experience working with the team you’re considering. When you learn more about your potential team, consider how your contact’s relationship with the team may affect their opinion.
For example, someone who’s only worked for one company likely won’t have a good perspective of how their company compares to others. Or, people who’ve worked indirectly with a group, like lawyers or contractors, may not understand how a team works from the inside.
Schedule a visit
If possible, see if you could schedule an in-person visit. Sitting in on a meeting where ideas are being pitched, refined, or planned can be a great way to learn more about a team and how they work together. Although everyone will likely be on their best behavior, it can still be a valuable opportunity to learn how a team interacts.
What should you pay attention to when you visit a team and get a view from the inside? Look for these red flags when assessing the team culture.
Red flags:
- Micromanaging
- Incentivizing competition over collaboration
- Absent leadership
- No work-life balance
- Unhelpful criticism
One survey shows 63% of workers who quit cited no opportunities for growth as their reason for leaving. If you spot any of these signs, you’ll know you’re dealing with a work culture you want to avoid.
Where do you fit in?
Understanding what company culture is right for you isn’t always straightforward. It requires an honest look at how we work best, knowing what we want, and the role we want to play on a team.
One-on-one coaching and individual 360 can offer valuable insight to help us understand where we fit in. Contact us to schedule a consultation with a coach and get personalized advice on how to find the best company culture for you.
Continue the dialogue about team culture and contact us at [email protected].
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