Written by Lizanne Dsouza-Founder Liz Lyn Careers
An excellent healthy culture is critical and most times an unhealthy workplace culture can be a deal breaker when choosing your next job. So what then are a few ways that you can identify this before you even start working at a new place and regret it later?
Do your research: Its so important to do your research about a brand or organization before you even start to apply for a job, you can always check out glassdoor reviews or google reviews to understand more.
Get in touch with ex-employees: this may be a tricky one so prepare yourself for mixed reviews when it comes to getting feedback, as not everyone would have had a pleasant experience.
Try and have a face-to-face meeting in the office: If the organization does have a physical office in operation then insist on a face-to-face interview at the office, this allows you to get a feel for the office environment before you take up an offer.
Pay attention to the interview process: you can find out a lot about the culture a company fosters but understanding how their HR team or senior management works, pay attention to the small things. eg. are they on time for the interview, are they focused on the interview, do they get back to you in a timely manner? These can be good indicators of the kind of people that you will be working with.
Ask hard questions during the interview: don't be afraid to ask those hard questions, about why the team size is the same for so many years, or what have been the obstacles when it comes to the retention of talent. These questions will give you an insight into the company right from the beginning.
Pay attention to the benefits: Pay attention to the benefit structure the company has, this will indicate how the company takes care of its employees and in turn will help you identify the culture
A job is always a two-way transaction and it's important that you as an employee feel safe and part of the team, so if a healthy culture is what you are looking for, then there is no harm in asking questions and finding out what works for you.