As a 21-year-old entering the workforce, I didn’t know what to expect. While I had an idea of what my first position would entail, I had no clue where my career would take me. What city would I end up in? What would I be doing? Who would I report to?
What’s new two years later? Not much.
I still don’t know where my career will take me, but I have a much better idea of how companies, large and small, operate and treat their employees. I’ve worked at a mid-size company in a big city. I’ve worked at two small companies in small cities. And now, I’m currently working at a mid-size company in a mid-size city. What surprised me most is how culture plays a role in each place.
Undergraduate Career Culture
In my undergraduate career, I worked a few different jobs. Because the hours were scattered and interaction was minimal, culture wasn’t as crucial in these positions. These were your typical “college jobs.” For a few hours each day, my tasks involved mopping the residence hall stairs, emptying recycling bins, and cleaning up other people’s trash. Living the dream, right?
I accepted a new position after my first year, where I would now maintain a “desk job.” This involved checking out vacuums and other cleaning equipment to students who lived in the residence halls; tracking packages that were delivered by UPS; and giving change for the old-school meters that still didn’t accept credit cards. I was soon promoted to another desk job, but this one was your standard Monday through Friday, 9-5. Now I’m a high roller. In this position, my responsibilities included key auditing, maintaining the department’s budget, and some administrative work.
My senior year rolled around and while I loved my 9-5, and the people I worked for, I figured it was time to apply for a job in my field. A friend of a friend told me about an opportunity to work for a small company as a graphic designer. I applied, met with the Marketing Director, and started Spring semester. From the outside, the office was as plain as day, however, the inside was a different story. It had been completely renovated with cubicles for each of the designers. We had our own space yet still worked in an open environment, and the people? The people were the best part. Full of life and a lot of jokes, every employee in the office got along. Everyone worked hard, but also maintained a work-life balance.
During summer months, some Fridays were cut short so that employees could enjoy a cookout and good company. I loved working with these people, but the work itself was a little too streamlined for me. It was a Catholic organization and my daily tasks left little room for creativity. The magazines had a designated look, prayer cards were simple, and hymnals were even simpler. It was a small company in a small city, but the people made the work tolerable – it didn’t matter what age range was represented.
I was graduating after that semester and planned to take a summer off before starting grad school. I was presented the opportunity to move to Chicago for another internship, this time in the field I would be attending grad school for marketing. I moved to the big city and started working at the headquarters of a “brain game store.” This environment was slightly less open, and people had a variety of different personalities. It was easy to maintain a fun culture because that was the nature of the industry. Employees had fun in the office, went to see movies together for breaks, and enjoyed happy hours after work. The work I did in this position was definitely “intern work” – not incredibly challenging or exciting – it simply had to get done. This position gave me a taste of what it would be like to work in a big city.
Following that summer, I moved back to Michigan where I would begin grad school, as well as a new job with another small company. It was in the same city as my first internship and had a smaller amount of people, but the average age was very similar. As I began to take on more projects and gain more certifications, I realized how much I truly enjoyed the work I was doing. It was interesting, it was challenging, and it was different every day. I was given great feedback, and more and more freedom to put my skills to work. Why did I leave? After a couple of my coworkers took employment elsewhere, I began to look at the big picture. I tried to answer the question why everyone was leaving. While it’s different based on the person, I took one critical aspect into consideration: the culture.
It doesn’t matter how big or small a company is; culture is the most important puzzle piece.
It was something my current company had not figured out how to master. More often than not, the few decision makers would argue about who was right, and how something could or couldn’t be done. It’s OK if they didn’t see eye-to-eye, because how would we ever find new solutions? What they shouldn’t have done was completely disregard the others’ opinions, simply because they thought their way is best.
What really made me question the culture of a company is when a meeting was called to discuss it. The owner brought in an external person to run the meeting. Think about it – someone who isn’t really associated with the company at all – is going to tell us what our culture should cultivate. We laid out what it was currently like, and where we wanted it to be.
The external member gave her input and we all wrote down words that described our company. I was truthful with my words – employees were honest and hard-working. Others wrote down words like “authentic” and “youthful,” a couple of terms at the polar opposite end of what I thought we represented. It seems like a good idea, but why did this miss the target?
A few reasons:
1. Only select employees were invited to participate in the meeting. You can’t get a true representation of the culture by excluding employees who work there, and inviting those in who don’t.
2. Employees who participated in the meeting were too comfortable. Some had been there for years and had set processes in place. What they said went – creating a mindset that was closed to new ideas, and ideas that didn’t sprout from their own mind. These employees explained the culture they themselves experienced, a skewed perspective from what newer employees actually dealt with.
3. Others that participated were too new. While this gave the veterans a fresh look, the interns that participated hadn’t yet been exposed to the full nature of the company. Interns sat in a room where they were isolated from the rest of their coworkers, only engaging with others when they ate lunch – which happened to be where the intern desk was stationed.
On top of that, company perks lacked. A 401(k) match was the best offered, and schedules were only flexible when it worked for the boss. Many believe it is much easier for smaller companies to foster a healthier culture because they tend to have tighter-knit employees. This is a prime example of why company size doesn’t determine company culture.
A company can help adopt a culture that people want to work in. Many workplaces do this by offering free lunches, trainings and other extra-curricular activities employees can participate in.
But at the end of the day, the culture of a company depends on its people.
Like my coworkers that left their previous positions, I took a risk and moved on to work for a company that holds greater promise. My risk paid off and I have never been happier in my career.
What is my employer doing well?
1. While I am one of the younger employees at 23, the average age is less than 30. My coworkers are open-minded and always willing to see from a different perspective.
2. My managers offer constructive feedback and ask for ways they themselves can improve as our higher-ups. This mindset creates an open environment, one where employees aren’t afraid to speak up. The result? Efficiency and most importantly, transparency.
3. The company offers us top-of-the-line benefits including competitive pay, medical insurance that is 100% covered, a 401(k), free lunches and daily snacks, excellent maternity leave, and a gym membership that promotes healthy lifestyles. While some companies don’t have the resources to provide all of these perks to employees, they should consider investing more in their employees. Employees who feel appreciated are more productive and more content in their positions.
4. The truly flexible schedule. Employees manage their own workload and schedule. If you have time and want to go to the gym at 10:00 a.m., you can do it. If you need to leave an hour early, you can do it. If you need to work from home one day, you can do it. A company that trusts its employees gains that same trust in return – and at the end of the day, the work is getting done.
5. The owner is constantly thinking up new ways to keep his growing company a place where people want to be. He holds quarterly, company-wide meetings – leaving it an open floor for employees to discuss anything we wish. If we’re not comfortable asking our question in front of everyone, we can Skype chat him on a daily basis. He’s available, he’s honest, and his talk is followed up with action. He creates opportunity, and we the employees turn it into a reality.
Contrary to popular belief, the largest company I’ve worked for has the most authentic, innovative, and transparent culture I’ve experienced to date. I’m still very early on in my career, but what I’ve learned so far is that a healthy culture is absolutely critical.
The most important takeaways:
• Resistant people do not create a positive culture; they are the downfall of it.
• A meeting cannot determine or change a company’s culture. What will, is the people.
• Keep it positive. When you don’t see eye-to-eye with someone, actually listen to what they have to say and try to see it from their perspective.
You’re creating the culture of the company you work for. Work hard, speak up, and find your fit. You’ll be happy you did – I know I am.
