What makes a great place to work? Research has shown that it’s not just about the work itself, but what an organization offers its staff that allows them to stay engaged and innovative. With this in mind, if you’ve been offered a job, it’s important to try to get a sense of the company’s culture before deciding whether or not to accept it.
Here are four questions to explore when determining how much an employer really invests in its employees.
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How does the company foster camaraderie? Many companies have the best of intentions to create a culture that engages and inspires their employees. Most even craft clear vision and values statements that may sound perfect on paper when you’re trying to determine if an organization is the right fit for you. What you want to find out, though, is how effectively the employer realizes that vision. A big part of corporate culture comes down to camaraderie, and great companies to work for don’t just leave this important element to chance.
Since there will always be challenging situations to deal with in the workplace, how does the employer address these situations institutionally to keep interactions healthy between employees and neutralize conflict? Does the company provide venues for people to connect and support each other on the job, such as lunchtime forums, off-site events or even game rooms (as many tech companies have mastered) where co-workers can get creative and blow off steam? While it can be tough to figure out this element of a company’s culture before you accept a job, tap your professional network for insider insights about what it’s really like there. You can also do research and comparisons on employee experiences on sites like Glassdoor.com and Salary.com.
Are flexibility and balance encouraged? With personal and professional demands continuing to surge for employees both inside and outside the office, work-life imbalance has become the unfortunate norm. Yet some companies do better than others in trying to solve the pressures on employees by sanctioning systems that provide greater flexibility, from more parental leave to requiring less face time at your desk.
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While it may be seen by some employers as poor form to start asking about working from home in your initial interviews, it’s fair game once you’ve received a job offer to drill down into the details. Ask for full benefits information, and if you’re hoping for a more flexible work arrangement, now is the time to ask. The time between when you are offered a job and when you accept it is your most powerful window for negotiating benefits like flex time, so use this advantage thoughtfully.
Is the company innovative? The workplace is changing so dramatically year over year that what worked a decade ago is likely no longer relevant. Some organizations stay stuck in their ways, while others keep current by listening to what their employees want and need today. Millennials in particular value their connection to the social media sphere at work. While some companies opt to block employee access to social media sites, other major employers have sought innovative ways to blend company priorities with employee preferences.
For example, GE, IBM and Capital One are among those employers that now use an employee communications platform, Dynamic Signal, to allow people to share company content across their personal social channels. By providing this type of resource to employees, these companies not only show their teams that they are up to speed with how many people prefer to communicate these days, but they also get the benefit of some extra brand marketing from their staff. Once you’ve received a job offer, you can explore with human resources how the company approaches innovation in communication and culture.
What does management do to create a diverse and inclusive workforce? The many benefits of diversity in the workforce — including more innovative and creative teams — have been proven by ample research and are no longer in question. Knowing this, it’s important to see what your prospective employer does to facilitate greater diversity and inclusion, particularly at the senior levels, to encourage retention and advancement of all staff.
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Once you have a job offer in hand, ask about whether the company offers specific programs or initiatives — such as diversity training or mentoring and sponsorship initiatives — designed to create greater workforce inclusion. If you join a company where you will be surrounded by a diverse team of professionals, then your team will be stronger and you’ll be able to develop fresher ideas that meet the needs of a wider global marketplace.
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4 Things to Ask Before Accepting a Job Offer originally appeared on usnews.com
