In this post:
- Why your work culture matters
- What to look for when you interview
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Why your work culture matters
Since returning back to the working world post graduation, I am realizing more than ever now just how important it is to learn as much as you can about the work culture of a company you’re considering, especially if you plan to not only commit, but also be successful and happy there.
For example, in one of my previous jobs, I let my enchantment with the company name blind my vision, unfortunately. There were a few red flags that immediately caught my attention, but rather than heeding those warning signs, I plowed straight ahead, convincing myself that I could get used to those things in time, no big deal.
Six months into the job, and I was painfully realizing that those things I noticed in the beginning evolved into a big deal. For one, the open layout floor plan drove me bonkers. I’m a person who needs some semblance of privacy, especially when I need to focus. Having an open floor plan could not be less conducive to my character and work style, and I found myself finding reasons to leave my desk often, just to get away from the distractions. To complicate matters, personal space was nonexistent. My colleagues worked mere inches away from my own desk on all sides, which made it difficult to concentrate or even hear my own thoughts when they talked constantly about their upcoming weekend plans, how they planned to get completely wasted that night, or about the latest rumors going around.
And speaking of rumors, the daily gossip spread through the office like an epidemic. Although I had no idea of the extent to which the gossip would go when I started, there were a few moments during the interview process that offered a glimpse into the gossipy culture. During my first interview, I was taken to an empty office and told to wait until my interviewer arrived. As I sat down in the uncomfortably hard, wooden chair, the secretary headed back out into the hall, but left the door slightly ajar as she left. I heard her platforms slap down onto the tiled floor as she began to head down the hall, but came to an abrupt halt as she greeted someone else. Perhaps she forgot that she left the door open, but I heard their exchange in low voices,
“Is she interviewing for Lisa’s old job? How is she?” I heard the more familiar voice of the secretary,
“She’s nice! She seems to have it together more than Lisa ever did.” The other woman replied,
“That’s not hard to do. Lisa’s a mess. I can’t believe she got promoted.” I felt my eyes widen. Surely they realized that I could hear them talking? Luckily, my interviewer walked in at this point, and I didn’t have to hear much more.
Office gossip happens in nearly every workplace I realize. However, the gossip I overheard that day was incredibly minor compared to the hurtful, potentially damaging rumors I heard daily at work. While it would have been impossible for me to realize what I was getting myself into based on that conversation alone, it was indeed a warning sign of what was to come.
Eventually, I became the subject of much gossip. Several times, I walked by someone’s computer screen and saw my name on the screen in a private chat and, of course, my curiosity got the better of me.
One of the first friends I made at this job was also someone I worked with occasionally as our roles overlapped. We had grabbed coffee and lunch together several times, and had always gotten along. One afternoon, I deposited some files on her desk, my eyes flicking across her computer as I began to turn around and head back to my own desk. I then saw my name pop up on her screen, not once, but many times in her IM’s. What the f**k? Unable to turn away, I could see that she had been chatting with another person on my team, someone I worked very closely with.
Team member: Have you spent much time with Heather?
Soon to be Ex-Coffee and Lunch Buddy: Yeah, we’ve grabbed coffee together a few times. She’s alright. Kinda fake. She’s such a goody two shoes.
Team member: Ugh right? Heather is too nice for her own good. No one takes her seriously.
Ex Buddy: I know. She’s pretty weak. She won’t last long here.
Team member: That’s for sure.
I felt like I had been slapped in the face reading that. Walking back to my desk, I felt my hands shaking. Since when is being a nice person the same thing as being weak? I thought she and I were friends?
I then realized how I couldn’t trust anyone at my workplace, which was going to make things a lot tougher, but it was necessary.
Gossip can spread like wildfire, with lasting, harmful effects. From that point on, I couldn’t look at any of my colleague naysayers the same, and I couldn’t trust them. It’s a sad reality, but it’s a lesson learned.
And the saddest part is that women seem to do this too much to each other. The majority of the gossip I heard was about other women, coming from other women. Does it stem from women trying to compete with each other? Or does the root of it go even deeper, and is it a reflection of the gossiper’s own insecurities? Perhaps it’s a combination of factors.
What to look for when you interview
What I’ve described to you in these examples just barely scratches the surface of why it matters to know as much as you can about a company’s culture before you commit. When you interview for a role or research a company, dig deep to find out what the work environment is like, what kind of setting you’ll be working in, and what kind of people work there. Not every workplace is rife with gossip, but certain industries certainly lend themselves to more gossip-prone environments.
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