Everybody wants a job that pays well, but did you know that basing a company’s value on starting salary is a big reason why many employees end up leaving? In one Mission and Culture Survey, 56% of responders found a good workplace culture to be "more important than salary" when it came to job satisfaction.
In fact, more and more people are being choosy about culture before they even start the salary conversation. That same survey found that 77% of adults polled "consider a company's culture" before seeking a job.
As happiness at work becomes a higher priority for prospective employees and current workers alike, company culture and values are becoming much better indicators than salary of whether someone will take and keep a job.
Here are six reasons that company culture is often more important to consider than compensation when on the job hunt:
1. You’ll Actually Enjoy Working
We all know someone who took a job because of the big, fat salary— only to be miserable 40 hours a week. You don’t enjoy talking to that person about work and that person’s co-workers probably don’t like interacting with someone with a bad attitude on-the-job either. Who benefits in this situation? No one.
By choosing a company for culture fit, you are increasing your chances of actually enjoying work! There’s a lot to be said about waking up and looking forward to clocking in, or having a job that at the very least isn’t life-sucking.
2. As a Happy Worker, You’ll Work Harder & More Creatively
Just because you receive a plump paycheck, it doesn’t mean you’ll feel inspired to work hard(er). You may have more cash flow, but what happens when your boss comes to you with performance concerns? Few find money to be a strong, consistent motivator for performance and ambition, and it’s not long after you adjust to the salary before work feels like a chore... and before that’s reflected in your work ethic.
With a good culture fit, however, you will be happier and motivated to work harder. Do you know what happens when you work harder? You’re rewarded for your efforts with promotions and pay raises!
Not only can a great culture encourage you to work harder, but studies have linked corporate culture as a defining motivator for driving innovation. Happy workers often produce more creative solutions, and receive praise and rewards for thinking outside of the box.
3. Teamwork Won’t Sound So Bad— It’ll Actually be Preferred
If an employer compares how a future employee might align with their established core values during the hiring process, you can be sure you’ll share a few things in common with your coworkers.
A company which sticks to its values will hire more like-minded workers— and if all employees share a passion for the same guiding principles, there’s a higher likelihood you’ll enjoy collaborating with them.
4. You Won’t Have to Worry as Much About Losing Your Favorite Coworker (or Your Job!)
Many studies have found that companies with strong cultural alignment have better retention rates. Why? When a culturally-aware employer hires, they are screening their talent for more than just experience on paper. These businesses are purposefully seeking a team who can contribute to their vision. When culture was considered during the hiring process, turnover rates were much lower— leading to a better chance that your beloved coworker will stay.
Leadership teams of culturally-driven companies often care about you as a person as well. They’re equally as invested in you as you are in the company. If you are outputting great work, your managers are often more compassionate, not batting an eye when you need to take off for an emergency and more willing to negotiate to keep their top talent.
5. You’ll Develop Long-Term Allies & Connections
Not only will you enjoy working with coworkers and managers who share your same values, but culturally-aligned employees can become strong allies along your career path— sometimes even friends.
Establishing strong relationships at work will set you up with a great network: one you can rely on for day-to-day struggles in the office as well as supporting your long-term growth. Your coworkers suddenly become allies as you strive towards the same goals or mission. They lend a helping hand, praise your work to management, and act as your #1 supporter, knowing all-too-well that when you succeed, they succeed. Excelling together is more rewarding than stepping on heads to climb the corporate ladder.
These connections are also ones that you can carry throughout different phases of life too. Maybe five years from now, your favorite coworker is your doorway to a better paid opportunity, with the same aligned culture you’ve both come to love.
6. You’ll Probably Have More Time Off or Better Benefits
A company with a strong culture fit often wants to see their employees taken care of— because they understand that happy employees lead to better performance. Oftentimes a business which prioritizes establishing its values is transparent about their employee benefits, and wants to delight its staff with the perks they rightfully deserve.
When screening companies for culture fit, remember that while their salary offering might not match another business’s, they may make up for it with excellent benefits, such as better paid time off, healthcare coverage and more.
Time to Find a Better Culture Fit?
Unfortunately, “company culture” is a term tossed around somewhat arbitrarily in today’s job landscape. Every employer wants their culture to sound great, and when looking for new jobs, you have to know how to pick a company with values that truly align with your own.
Here are a few ways to spot a bad company culture during your interview and six interview questions to see if their culture is as strong as they say it is.
At GoGig, we put culture at the forefront of our platform. With the help of our revolutionary job portal, you can be matched with new employers based on your personality— similar to how you’d match with a prospective partner on a dating site.
Best of all, you don’t even have to actively hunt for jobs. Simply set up a personality profile and sit back as similarly value-aligned employers find you! Sign up for a free account today.
