No matter how bad you want a particular job, you want to avoid a toxic work environment. Although the job may be perfect and the money just what you wanted, over time you will get sick working in a toxic workplace. The physical and mental effects include stress, fatigue, increased blood pressure, anxiety, and a host of other issues that will grind on your body until you burn out or flip out.
In an article entitled Assess Company Culture to Find the Best Fit published by Monster.com, Michael Neece says you should make sure your new employer is aligned with your core values and beliefs. “Working at a company with values inconsistent with yours is stressful, unrewarding, even depressing at times. No matter how great the position and salary, if you’re working in a caustic, understaffed and unethical culture, you’ll feel unfulfilled,” writes Neece.
In this excellent article, Neece provides seven dead-on questions to ask during an interview about the company’s organizational culture, listed below:
- What three words or phrases would you use to describe the company or department culture?
- How does the company (team) handle conflict or differing opinions?
- How does the company recognize employee accomplishments?
- Does the company have a code of ethics?
- Please describe the leadership or managerial style at your company.
- What qualities do the most successful employees in your company possess?
- What is the company’s attitude toward professional and educational advancement?
