Good day all,

12 Comments

1. Sue Gordon- retired Career CoachJuly 3,2023 at 2:20PM UTC

   To assess culture prior to acceptance, ask questions of your interviewers that are designed to see what works about the organization. Why do they like working there? How do the teams work together? What is the best thing about the organization? What is one thing they might change?

   Observe their nonverbal reactions as well as listening to what they say. If they hate it there, they may look uncomfortable when answering.

   Once you’re in, it is possible that leadership and culture will shift. It’s time to leave when you find yourself dreading the workday, obsessing about negativity or it affects your health.

2. AnonymousJuly 3,2023 at 4:20PM UTC

   Following thread for similar advice.
   I appreciate what was shared below. I've typically asked these sort of questions upfront in the interview, but often find responses fall short because most managers tend to focus on culture of their team, not the company as a whole. In other examples, I've also seen a great shift where things were good but due to constant leadership and turnover (sometimes layoffs), the culture (and business) tanks too.

   I agree about knowing when it's time to go v. what you're willing to tolerate. From my vantage point, and experience, anytime there's significant turnover starting from the top-down, then it's probably a red flag to start considering other options. A company I worked for did a mid-year pulse check on the culture and the results showed the morale has declined drastically. A big theme that struck a cord with me was that folks do not feel it was safe for them to speak up w/o some sort of backlash.

   With those type of insights (and others in mind), I knew the best choice for me was to search elsewhere.

   So, my advice here to would be to look into your company's culture score over the years or ask when the last time your company did a culture check-in? This type of info can be helpful to know on whether it's the whole org feeling this way or just certain segments of the business. Either way, you still should do what's best for you but hopefully this type of insight can help you make a more informed decision.

3. AnonymousJuly 3,2023 at 4:34PM UTC

   You have to do your due diligence.

   Research online reviews, network and speak to people that have worked there or vendors that will share info.

   Read between the lines when the interviewers explain their experience working there.

   Much of culture is subjective. What may be TOXIC to you may be fine or even preferred to me. That's why it's so hard to prove. Toxic is a buzz word and everyone throws it around but seldom is the experience the same.

   Do your homework and form your own, informed, decision.

4. AnonymousJuly 3,2023 at 9:06PM UTC

   I think social media pages for companies are an decent source of some evidence of their culture, especially based on Photos of team, events, company event and fundraisers, etc. etc.. if the employees post themselves you’re going to see probably very truthful photos and that does give you an idea of the culture, however, is the culture the same in every business unit within one organization?

   I’ve seen very different cultures in different offices, geographically, and internally gor different verticals.

5. AnonymousJuly 4,2023 at 12:46PM UTC

   Social media only tells the perfect.
   All smiles, team is my family. Remember, social media posts and traceable and no one would speak the truth in a forum like this - either because they are employed there or want a reference

6. AnonymousJuly 4,2023 at 2:41AM UTC

   Sometimes it's hard to really know until you get in. I thought I did my due diligence using resources like Blind, Glassdoor, Indeed, whatever reviews I can find and asking questions like, "what is the one thing you wish you can change?" One thing I usually never think to ask until I started at this company is turnover. Now when I am interviewing, that is one I will ask. Turnover is super high here, and I think I know why, culprit is the culture.....Wish I asked during the interview to take into account (recruiters should be able to tell you during the initial screening)... If you are starting to feel disengaged, maybe somewhat cynical, more than you'd like to be, you may be slowly being sucked into a toxic culture!

7. AnonymousJuly 4,2023 at 12:44PM UTC

   Unfortunately, you don't know. Employers can hide their background as easily as some applicants.

8. AnonymousJuly 4,2023 at 2:18PM UTC

   This is hard to do, but I like what Susan Gordon said about asking the interviewers how they like working there and observing the body language as they reply since this is not a question they are likely to anticipate, especially if you ask [each] specific person. Be aware that this speaks more clearly than whatever words they use. It speaks volumes if they are squirming in their seats or stammering and stuttering. I would also seek out others who have worked there, ask why they left, and those who currently work there. Reviews tend to be significantly one-way at the extremes, so I take them with a grain of salt.

9. AnonymousJuly 10,2023 at 8:02PM UTC

   I interview a lot of people and asking why I work here or what keeps me here is a question probably 90% of people ask me so I am always prepared witha an answer. It probably won't get you want you want. I use Glassdoor and other online sources and look for themes in what people say and then I ask questions based on these themes. If they say lots of hours, I ask questions about work-life balance and expectations of OT, and typical hours / week, busy times, etc. If a theme around lack of advancement, I will ask about advancement opportunities, why role is open (did predecessor get promoted or leave - if leave - why do they think they left), etc. The best thing is if you are a LinkedIn member and can find someone you know and trust that now works at the company you are interviewing with they can give you the scoop. I like to do this before the interview as well as it may focus my questions to the interviewers. Good luck with your search!

10. AnonymousJuly 6,2023 at 1:13AM UTC

    There are several ways.

    First - go to linkedin and look at the folks joining and leaving. Look at trends, ages and work experience for all. See if you have any common points or connections there and if so especially for those who have left perhaps reach out to see if anyone will speak to their experience there. Also go to blind and glassdoor, read everything some will be junk but much of it is dead on info about the company. Anything that looks too good might be. There should be a decent balance of honest feedback about what its like. Look at each Executive and do a deep web search on their social media and who they are and how they present themselves. I worked for a company where one of the execs was a notorious womanizer and his social media unveiled that. As to whether you are being a part of a toxic culture, if you are hurting others to get ahead, yes. If you are doing things that are or feel unethical or wrong then yes. If the company has no morals and is doing something bad either publicly or under wraps then yes.

11. Lisa MarieJuly 9,2023 at 6:02PM UTC

    Can you please share exactly how do you see who on LinkedIn is *leaving* a company please?

12. Lisa MarieJuly 9,2023 at 5:52PM UTC

    You won't be able to truly "know."

    The company will publish what they want to be their culture, but the leaders may not do what the company wishes, and do not do what's needed to manifest the stated culture.

    Then... every employee will give their own opinion on what they experience personally (or in their own mind).

    Online reviews will be accurate and untrue - sometimes both, because people can agree to lie (either way).

    Bottomline, *some things* you won't truly *know* from just research. You'll just have to experience certain things for yourself.

    Good Luck.