Checking out the 'culture' factor

Q: How can you check the culture of a company when you don't know anyone there?

A: Dr MARIE WILSON is associate professor of management at the University of Auckland, research director of the ICEHOUSE business accelerator and a veteran of 20 years in corporate management and small business.

I've worked in companies with wildly different cultures, and in some cases what I thought was the case about a company's culture was way out of line with reality.

The organisational values, or culture, form part of the working environment that determines your fit, and often your future, with a company. Asking about the culture directly usually results in platitudes; it is fairly difficult to describe the culture if you are immersed in it.

Ways to overcome this problem? Interview former and current employees for their perceptions of the company, in contrast to other companies.

Ask them to tell you stories and anecdotes that best represent the company values, or ask them to tell you what they found surprising, pleasant or not, when they first arrived.

Before you make your decisions, you might want to schedule a few observation (orientation) days, and spend it attending meetings, reading company communications, and observing how people interact with one another.

Finally, be aware that your immediate co-workers and supervisor will create the subculture that you work in; find out even more about them than the rest of the organisation.

I am quite interested in taking my general management skills to not-for-profit organisations - some of them are major entities now in New Zealand - but I am worried that I might get stuck there.

How do you view the attitudes of private-sector companies towards those who have worked in not-for-profits?

Assuming that you are adding to your skill base and making a reasonable career move in other respects, experience in the not-for-profit sector should increase your employability.

The experience and requirements in the not-for-profit sector will add important skills that are difficult to gain in the for-profit sector.

As with any type of industry choice, maintaining career prospects may mean that you want to move back and forth so that you aren't pigeon-holed, or seen as losing your edge.

The other consideration is your performance in the new position. Assuming you are able to adapt to the different environment and maintain both your performance and your profile, your talent should be welcome in either environment.

I'm 28 and have joined a company where the culture involves a lot of drinking and hanging out after work. I don't mind staying late if there's work to do, and I used to do more drinking and socialising with colleagues when I was in my early 20s, but that's not the way I live now.

I have responsibilities outside work, I hate ciggie smoke (another thing these guys all do) and I'm quite keen at the end of the day to get home to my "real" life.

This possibly impacts on whether I am perceived as a team player. Is there a middle ground somewhere?

Teamwork at work should be related to the work at hand. That may require that you go above and beyond in the work setting, but not that you participate in activities that you don't enjoy after work.

There may be activities that are intimately connected with your work, discussions to solve problems or celebrations of accomplishments. Teamwork requires that you participate in these.

If you get feedback that your refusal is seen as antisocial, make sure you are fully committed and maintaining your connections during work hours.

Perhaps you can suggest alternative activities you would enjoy with your colleagues, or participate occasionally, while suggesting a smoke-free environment, to maintain the peace.