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A former CEO once said, "If you leave us our money, our buildings, and our brands, but take away our people, the Company will fail. But if you take away our money, our buildings, and our brands, but leave us our people, we can rebuild the whole thing in a decade." These words were uttered in 1947 and they ring just as true today. A company's real strength lies in its people and their needs and values make up the company's culture. When we talk about different cultures, we automatically think of foreign countries with customs different from our own. Diving into a new culture can be terrifying and exciting at the same time. Part of the challenge is to try and figure out how to blend in. Most of us don't think of our place of employment as having a culture, but it does. In fact, most people put all their efforts into getting the job, which is good, but remember the second challenge is keeping it. Learning how to become a part of your company's culture just might help you hold onto that job. Companies are not that different from people. Companies have identities and personalities that dictate how decisions are made and what is valued and what is not. Just think about it, before you buy a gift for a friend, you spend time thinking about who they are and what would make them happy. Understanding your friend's personality, needs, and values helps you to be the kind of friend they appreciate. You want to be just as indispensable to your organization. If you ask employers for the top reasons they let go of someone, not fitting into the organization's culture is one of them. Knowing your organization's culture can mean the difference between being laid off and being promoted. Based on who you are, Tickle has figured out the right companies for you. |
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These companies are usually not run by an old boys network. They are looking for the best and the brightest and don't care if you look the part or not. You can expect to put in long hours especially when there is a new product launch, but at the same time, these companies are good about creating a "we're all in this together" atmosphere so that you don't feel unfairly overworked. Given that you can handle a fair amount of ambiguity in the workplace, you can probably wait patiently as all the wrinkles are ironed out of company policies and regulations. Because these companies pride themselves on being unconventional, they may provide benefits that go beyond your paycheck, such as flexible hours, fun working environments, and casual dress codes. Which corporate cultures are right for you? Below are some companies that have the kinds of corporate environments in which you could thrive. Remember, these are just some of the offices that provide you the right kind of culture — regardless of the business and industries they are in.
Which corporate cultures are wrong for you? You would not be happy and reach your full potential at companies that are extremely hierarchical and that frown upon going against conventions. |
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There is no such thing as perfection. Sure you might find the perfect company fit, but it can't be perfect every hour of every day. To keep things in perspective, look at these challenges as learning experiences rather than stumbling blocks. Here's where you're likely to find yourself at odds at work.
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We've already covered the corporate cultures that will let you thrive. But here is some insight as to how we specifically determined the right fit for you. The responses you gave us on the test provided scores on seven different psychological dimensions. The dimensions we measured are:
No one dimension is better or worse than the other, but when we combine your scores on these unique dimensions, we get a profile of who you really are and what company type fits you best. Remember, based on your profile, you are an Energizer. Knowing this about yourself is critical to understanding why certain environments work for you and others do not. Everyone needs to be in the right environment to thrive. Being in the wrong place obscures your true potential and let's face it, who wants to feel like a fish out of water everyday? Hopefully, learning more about your type should not only help you articulate what you need from your environment but will also allow you to communicate to others about what kind of person you are as well. Read on to get a closer look at the dimensions that make up your type. We also provide advice on what to watch out for. Some of the advice is tailored for what you can do now in your present company and other pieces of wisdom will be useful for when you are seeking your next company.  Ambition
What to watch out for Feeling like your career is going nowhere can sometimes be a problem for you. You enjoy having challenges and sometimes the daily grind can get you down. Part of what makes you happy at work is having some responsibility and feeling like you are moving up. There is nothing wrong with sitting down with your immediate supervisor and explicitly discussing not only your short-term goals but also your long-term ones. Most people like mentoring an enthusiastic go-getter. If your supervisor is not the right candidate, then pick someone who is experienced and known as a visionary and let them take you under their wing. Voicing your opinion
What to watch out for You definitely would not enjoy working for a company where only those in the highest positions of power can voice their opinions. What is most important to you is that even if your ideas are not implemented, you want to feel welcomed and valued for supplying them in the first place. A good way to figure out your company's stance is to sit back and observe people in management at staff meetings. When someone who is not part of management pipes up, how do the higher-ups respond? Are they encouraging and responsive? Or do they politely listen with their arms crossed? Verbal and non-verbal feedback will tell you what you need to know. Social responsibility
What to watch out for If your company has a web presence, then see if they devote any space to discussing how they take care of their employees and community. Many companies take pride in contributing to charities not only monetarily but also with their time and expertise. For example, some law firms provide incentives for their lawyers to take cases for free or for a very low fee. Some health care organizations do the same. If it's not obvious to you, one way to assess if your company is doing the right thing is to be direct and ask about it. Sometimes the company just needs a nudge in the right direction. If they don't respond favorably then you know this might not be the place for you. Risk taking
What to watch out for The idea of doing the exact same tasks day in and out would not be your cup of tea. Stay away from companies that are so highly structured that they would frown upon people taking their own initiative. Extremely predictable environments are sheer boredom to you. Your immediate supervisor has a big hand in determining the specifics of your job duties. Ask your potential supervisor to describe the position and note how specific they get. If they include a lot of details in their description, then you know they may prefer someone who does not stray too far from their primary duties. Trend vs. tradition
What to watch out for You are a practical person, so being in an environment where people are not afraid to question traditional methods would be ideal for you. You can help move things along in your company by being informed of the latest industry changes and trends. People are open to new ideas when their guard is down. So, during staff breaks and social events sit next to a manager and start chatting. Bring up recent success stories within the industry and inspire them with your knowledge of the newest trends. Nothing works better then being able to back up your ideas with proven success. Need for feedback
What to watch out for When assessing if a company is right for you, make sure to ask both the employer and employees about the evaluation process. You want to get both sides of the story up front. The key questions are: How often are they formally evaluated and how are these evaluations used for employment and promotion? The last thing someone like you needs is to work for a company that does not provide regular feedback and where it is unclear what is rewarded and punished. Working with others
What to watch out for With your needs, it is important to watch out for companies that value group work over individually-led projects. Some companies look more favorably upon team projects because to them it symbolizes harmony among employees whereas people who work solo are seen as too shy and unsocial. Although this may not describe your personality at all, be aware that this is the impression you may be making at certain workplaces when you consistently opt for going solo. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Do you ever feel like a square peg in a round hole at work? Sometimes there is such a thing as a "bad fit." When people use this phrase, they do not mean that the person is unqualified to do the job. In fact, it usually means that on paper, this person looks great but somehow the combination of the person and the workplace does not add up. No one can really be blamed when this happens, but it can be a painful experience to go through. This is why we recommend you assess your fit with the workplace not only before you accept a job but while you are at a company as well. People change and so do companies. You may find yourself outgrowing your company, but the fear of taking a risk is making you stay. Here are some key questions you should be asking yourself to figure out if you are still in the right place.
If you are the only person left from a bygone era, you need to understand first why your peers left. If your peers left on their own accord, then you have some more reflection to do. Did you share their grumblings and resentments? If so, are the issues resolved or have you found a satisfying way to adapt to the situation? If you are still dissatisfied after all these years, then chances are that you are in a rut and need to push past your fear and move on. It may not be a lack of effort that's holding you back. It could be a difference in values. In the company's eyes you may spend too much time on a certain task and they feel you should devote more time to other areas of your work. For example, some medical professionals have reportedly struggled between balancing their time with their patients and fulfilling other obligations to their practice. In this case, some doctors opted to switch to other practices because they felt they were being asked to shortchange their patients. If you truly disagree with how you are spending your time, then perhaps you should seek a place where there is a better match between you and your employer. In today's economy it is perfectly natural to feel uncertain at times. However, if you are a basket case every time there is an upcoming review, then it may be appropriate to ask if you are at the right place. Trust your instincts and realistically examine if it's all in your head or if there is real reason to think that you are doomed. If you feel like it's just a matter of time before you get the pink slip, then opt to leave on your own accord. Remember, keeping commitments to people is different than staying committed to a job that leaves you unhappy. Plus, it's always better to leave on your own than to be fired.
Putting your best foot forward Just as it's important for you to know what a company is like, they need to know about you as well. Based on your type, we've included several key buzzwords or phrases you can quickly use to describe how you fit within a company culture. Given that you are an Energizer, here are the following descriptions you can incorporate in your interview or cover letter.
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All of us spend time and money making our homes and apartments our sanctuaries. Considering how many hours we spend on the job, being comfortable in our work environment not only affects our personal happiness but also our productivity. While you may be like most people in wanting a big desk and comfy chair, you might be surprised at other people's reactions to co-ed bathrooms. Read on and see how you stack up against the rest.
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Our Career Personality Test tapped into which careers are best suited for your personality type. While it is incredibly important to understand how personality influences our job satisfaction, this is only part of the story. Understanding how we fit into certain environments helps determine our happiness and productivity at particular companies. Just as we feel anxious before learning about the customs of a new culture, companies can feel that way too. A dictionary definition of culture is as follows, "the act of developing intellectual and moral faculties, especially through education." Learning about your needs and values as well as the company's needs and values makes you an educated employee. Organizational and Behavioral psychologists conduct research to determine how the personality and environment intersect at the workplace. This test was created using several models for measuring personality fit within a company culture, most notably Mallinger and Rizescu's Integrated Cultural Framework, and Hofstede's Cultural Orientation Model, and Fekete and Keith's book Companies are People Too. For those of you interested in this topic as well as related topics, we suggest the following references for future reading. |
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Fekete, S. and Keith, L. (2003). Companies are People Too: Discover, Develop, & Grow Your Organization's True Personality, New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons. Haschak, P.G. (1998) Corporate Statements: The Official Missions, Goals, Principles and Philosophies of Over 900 Companies, North Carolina, McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers. Thomson, K. (2002).The Company Culture Cookbook: How to Change the Way We Do Things Around Here, Financial Times Prentice Hall. |
