When you find a job that you love, that  is the day that you stop working.  So what does workplace “culture” mean exactly? The operational definition of workplace culture is simply ” a philosophy to guide organizational strategy, workforce behavior and management attitudes.” But why is it so important: if you find a workplace culture that is conducive to you, then you will have absolute job satisfaction and you will not dread getting out of bed in the morning.

Before we talk about the appropriate workplace culture for you, let’s discover what constitutes the right “FIT” because there are a lot of variables in play.

1. Travel and Location-The location of your workplace as it relates to where you live is essential. Do you drive to work or do you take public transit? Do you walk or ride a bike? If you live in a rural area and you have to drive to a metropolitan area, then you need to factor in the travel time, parking and gas. If you decide to field a job offer that causes you to spend numerous hours in traffic and more money on gas then you can afford, then it probably is not the right fit. Now granted, we would all love to make 6 figures in a job right across the street from our house, but it just is not going to happen. If you take public transit, first of all you need to make sure that your place of employment is accessible by transit. Also, do you have to transfer to multiple buses or do you need to take the train? On the flip side of that, some people enjoy a long bus or train ride because it allows for them to decompress before they get home and if you love to read, the train or bus is perfect for you.  If you are spending too much time in traffic and even more time traveling in general at what expense does it come? If your family is very important to you and you want to spend a lot of time with them, then traveling too much for a job is not for you. If you disagree, just ask someone that leaves the house at 6am and arrives home at 8pm, there just is not any family time.

2. Diversity- I had a client a few years back tell me that he could no longer work at his warehouse job because his fellow employees spoke in Punjabi, which meant that on his break time and lunches he had no choice but to read the paper. Now, the people that you work with are never your friends however, playing nice in the sandbox and having someone to speak to on a daily basis will allow for some fluidity and will make for a more productive work environment. Furthermore, if you work in an environment where you do not speak the language how could you ever feel like you belong? The working culture, especially in Vancouver is very diverse which is a good thing, but in terms of finding the right fit for you, these are things that you have to factor in.

3. Values and Beliefs- The writer has cited on numerous occasions that, who we are is not what we do, that is definitely true, however, it is our personal beliefs and values will facilitate our career choice. Values and beliefs are what drive us on a daily basis without us even knowing. Most employers will have a “Value or Mission Statement” and in that the employer will usually dictate why they are doing what they do. The mission statement is more often than not the “essence” of the workplace culture. The main reason that these value systems are so important is because your employer may put you in what is referred to as an “ethical dilemma”. This is a tough spot to be in depending on what sector of employment that you are in. For example, if you work in finance, do you feel comfortable approving a small family for a line of credit at a massive interest rate knowing that they can never pay it back? I don’t. Do you want to work in a medical system or for an insurance company where your sole purpose is to not approve people for medical insurance because they have a “pre-exiting condition” and knowing that the insurance company looks at paying medical expenses as a  loss?” I can’t. Having a clear and concise picture of your workplace beliefs and values will always help in the road to seeking a career.

Workplace Culture- The type of personality that you have is the determining factor in your workplace culture. Do you want to wear jeans or a suit? Can you use your sense of humor on a daily basis or is the workplace too conservative? All of these values and beliefs  are different depending on what sector that you work in. Finance will be different then Construction. Social Services will be different then Hospitality. The point is , make  sure you investigate these matters before you start working there, because if you find out that your beliefs are different then the employers after the fact, then will not find satisfaction in your day to day dealings and interactions with others. Trust me, you do not want to be the quintessential working man that puts on a brave and stoic face at work and then kicks the dog as soon as he walks in the door.  The way to find this stuff out is to conduct Informational Interviews……………………………stay tuned for that.

Posted by: Tyler McAuley