Workplace Culture Compatibility: Finding Jobs That Match Your Values, Not Just Your Skills

George Avgenakis -

Do you know what the number one reason people quit their jobs?

No, it’s not dissatisfaction with the job’s salary (though that is number two).

According to a study, having a “toxic company culture” is the top reason people quit their jobs, which was cited by over 62% of the study's participants.

So, if you’re searching for a job right now, don’t just focus on how your skills fit the qualifications, the compensation package, or the potential for long-term career growth. It’s just as important to evaluate a company’s workplace culture.

In this article, we’ll go through what “workplace culture” means and give practical tips on how to find a job with a compatible culture and set of values.

Understanding Workplace Culture

“Workplace culture” refers to the shared values, beliefs, and behaviors within a company or organization.

It influences everything, from the top-down decision-making process to the day-to-day experience of clocking into work and even your long-term prospects in the business.

It encompasses things like:

  • Company Mission and Values

What drives the company? Does it prioritize innovation? Collaboration? Corporate social responsibility? Employee satisfaction? Or just profit? Maybe it even has a socio-political slant toward a certain ideology.

  • Work Environment

Is it a fast-paced and high-pressure environment with razor-tight deadlines for deliverables? Or is it one that values flexibility and creativity more? Or maybe it’s somewhere in the middle?

  • Leadership and Management Style

How are the leaders and managers? How hierarchical is the system? Do they micromanage? How do they encourage autonomy or prioritize employee growth? Do leaders encourage input from employees or do they follow a strict top-down approach to projects?

  • Work-Life Balance

How much are you required to work? Will you have enough time and energy for your personal life? Or are you expected to work long, long hours?

  • Diversity and Inclusion

Does the company have or at least strive for a diverse workforce? Does it ensure equal opportunities and respect for all employees? How does it handle instances of discrimination or harassment between workers? How does it navigate the realities of the different lived experiences of people from different backgrounds and identities?

  • Career Development and Learning Opportunities

How often does the company provide mentorship, training programs, and clear paths for development? Or do they simply focus on the job at hand?

  • Work Dynamics

Do people collaborate on projects? Or are people encouraged to work independently—or even compete with each other for incentives? To what degree? How acceptable is it to leave the office a few minutes early?

  • Social Atmosphere

Are the co-workers friendly outside of work? Are there events that promote team-building and the establishment of rapport between employees? How acceptable is it to

These are only some of the things that make up a company’s culture. There are countless other intangibles that comprise what it feels like to work at an organization, many of which cannot be explained precisely or concisely in words but need to be experienced in order to be understood.

The Importance of Culture Fit

There really isn’t an objective way to evaluate whether a company’s culture is “good” or “bad.”

What’s important is that the company’s culture and values fit you as an individual. After all, different people have different personalities, needs, and preferences.

For example, a job with long hours may be seen as a negative by the majority. However, for workaholics, or those looking to make the most money as quickly as possible, this may be exactly what they’re looking for. Not to mention, some industries (such as healthcare) have long hours as the norm.

Or take a job where projects are worked on solo by employees and where company social events are rare or optional. This may not be ideal for an extrovert, but it might be the perfect job for introverts.

Finding a good cultural fit is crucial for your day-to-day well-being as a worker—and overall job satisfaction and long-term success. Start by thinking about your current culture. Working somewhere where your values align means that you’ll feel more motivated and less stressed but staying at a job where values mismatch is a sure-fire way to be miserable.

How to Assess Workplace Culture: 5 Key Tips

But how do you assess and evaluate a company’s culture? Here are five steps you need to take before accepting any job.

Analyze Job Descriptions

The job post serves as your first impression of a company and often includes hints about company culture.

Look for commonly used phrases like:

  • “Fast-paced environment” (often indicates a demanding work setting);
  • “Collaborative team” (suggests a strong emphasis on teamwork);
  • “Potential for growth” (may signal the inclusion of various training programs);
  • “Open to feedback” (may indicate leadership with micromanagement tendencies).

But read between the lines too. Pay attention to how the job description is written, like the word choices and the tone of voice they use. Some companies, for example, use a more casual tone to signal something about their workplace culture.

Research the Company

However, a job description isn’t enough to give you a good idea of what it’s like to work at that company. Conduct in-depth research about the organization and make sure to:

  • Visit their website and social media pages

A company’s website often serves as a digital reflection of its real-life workplace. The website—from its looks to how professional and detailed it is to the tone of voice employed in its writing—can indicate many things about a company.

  • Read employee reviews

Go to platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn to see what both current and former employees have to say about the company.

  • Review company policies

Check the company’s stance on things like remote work, flexible hours, parental leave, and diversity initiatives. These policies can give you a better idea about the intangibles of their workplace culture.

Ask the Right Questions During Interviews

In the interview, you can dig even deeper into the things that you saw online about the company. Remember that interviews don’t only serve as a way for employers to get to know you—it’s also for you to get to know the company.

Ask questions like:

  • Can you describe the company’s core values?
  • How would you describe the team dynamic?
  • How would you describe a typical day in the office?
  • What are some qualities that successful employees at your company possess?
  • How does the company support work-life balance?
  • Can you share an example of how employees are recognized for their contributions?
  • How would you support the professional development of employees?


What is a culture clash?

Culture clash is the conflict that arises when people from different cultural backgrounds interact and their beliefs, values, customs, or ways of life contradict or misunderstand each other. It can happen in various settings, such as workplaces, relationships, travel, or immigration, often highlighting issues of cultural compatibility.

For example:

  • A direct-speaking American might unintentionally offend someone from a culture where indirect communication is preferred.
  • A traditional family may struggle to accept a member who adopts a more modern or foreign lifestyle.
  • A company expanding to a new country might fail to understand local business etiquette, leading to miscommunication or failure.

Addressing cultural compatibility can help reduce culture clash by fostering understanding, adaptability, and mutual respect.


How to identify if there is cultural alignment in the hiring process?

Identifying different cultures in the hiring process is essential for fostering diversity and ensuring cultural compatibility within a workplace. Employers can achieve this by considering candidates' backgrounds, communication styles, and work ethics, which may be influenced by their cultural upbringing. Structured interviews, behavioral assessments, and inclusive job descriptions can help recognize and appreciate diverse perspectives. Additionally, being aware of potential biases and promoting open dialogue can prevent culture clash and create a more inclusive work environment where employees from different backgrounds feel valued and understood.

During the interview process as well as during the onboarding process you can identify the cultural values, for example, if the company supports an inclusive workplace, if the leadership team and the leadership style respects the personal values, and how the client relationships and the goal setting process create a sense of community and a sense of belonging.

Finally, you can ask a couple of questions regarding a crucial aspect which is employee feedback. Is it part of the organizational structure, or is feedback used as a way to foster continuous learning? Are there cross-functional teams that create a positive work environment and role models for employees to feel psychological safety and perform during their work? All these details are important and play a significant role in cultural integration and define a strong culture fit if they are present.

In case of culture gaps or other behaviors that you might identify (such as an aggressive culture or a very competitive culture try to ask questions to identify the leadership type and the different levels of leadership and if there is an alignment with company values and in general an alignment with core values and principles created by the company's leadership team. All these details will play a significant role in the type of workplace and the overall organizational goals and regardless if there are ambitious goals or not, the current workforce and the soft skills the team has (together with the technical skills required for the day-to day job) will play a significant role in the presence of a smooth collaboration and cultural compatibility.

Observe the Workplace Environment and the cultural compatibility

Of course, employers, job descriptions, and social media pages may not always be accurate. Companies are marketing themselves when looking for hires, so they will obviously present themselves in the best light possible.

So if you have the opportunity to visit the office, you can observe the atmosphere in real time.

How are the employees? Engaged? Happy? Stressed? Sociable? Does the office environment actually reflect the values stated by the company?

Network with Current or Former Employees

If you want to take it a step further, try reaching out to employees via platforms like LinkedIn. They can often provide raw, unfiltered accounts of what it’s really like to work at the company on a day-to-day level. Ask about the recruiting process and try to identify the cultural aspects of the company as well as how the company invests in employee development (not only on the technical level but also on the soft skills level to ensure the successful integration of new people in the teams and foster organizational alignment)

Current employees may be limited due to restrictions like NDAs, but former employees may speak more liberally.

The truth, however, is that despite conducting as much research as possible, reality may not always align with your expectations (or interpretations of what you’ve read or heard).

If you realize after starting a job that the culture isn’t as aligned with your values as you initially expected, there are steps you can take:

  1. Adapt and Find Common Ground

Identify areas where your values can align with those of the company. For example, certain departments or projects within the company may have varying subcultures.

  1. Communicate with Leadership

Express any concerns or suggestions regarding company culture to HR or management. Explain that your suggested adjustments will only allow you to work more productively and efficiently.

  1. Seek Like-Minded Colleagues

Build relationships with colleagues who share similar values and create a supportive network. This makes it easier to cope with any resulting stress.

  1. Engage in Culture-Enhancing Initiatives

Your company may have employee resources and company events that make your stay in the company easier.

  1. Know When to Move On

Sometimes, a workplace’s culture is just irreconcilably incompatible. If staying in the company is starting to affect your mental health or career satisfaction in negative ways, don’t hesitate to search for a better fit elsewhere.

To have better chances at landing a fitting job for you, it’s important to broaden your horizons. Here are a few ways you can widen your job search and give yourself more options.

Consider Other Industries

Your skills may be just as valuable in other industries, so don’t limit yourself to the most immediate job search results. For example, it’s a common mistake for young marketers to only look for jobs at marketing agencies. Try applying to companies directly! Many of them have dedicated marketing departments.

Apply Even if Your Skills are Underqualified

People think that they need to meet qualifications to a tee. But in reality, many companies hire candidates with slightly lacking skills if the company itself thinks the candidate is a good fit for their culture. Besides, that’s what training is for anyway!

Look for Virtual Work or Jobs in other Geographic Areas

Unless you really want an in-person job in the very city you’re in, other cities—or even other countries—may have job openings that would be a great fit for you.

Pro tip: Use a VPN like VPN Surfshark to search for local job results in different geographical areas.

Think about culture mapping sessions

Culture mapping sessions are a powerful tool for understanding and aligning diverse cultural perspectives within a team or organization (these also include details such as the emotional culture and the employee culture fit or culture shift especially when there is a problem with culture alignment). These sessions help identify key differences in values, communication styles, decision-making approaches, and workplace expectations, promoting cultural compatibility and reducing potential culture clashes. By mapping out cultural influences, companies can enhance collaboration, improve team dynamics, and create a more inclusive work environment. They are especially useful in global teams, mergers, or diverse hiring processes, ensuring that cultural differences become a strength rather than a barrier.

Conclusion

Remember that you spend the largest chunk of your adult life working. So it’s absolutely critical to find a job you like working at—one with a culture you feel good returning to day after day. The current and future culture of the company It’s critical for your mental health, career satisfaction, and even overall well-being.

So don’t settle and broaden your horizons when job hunting to find a workplace you can call home.