We all dream of that unicorn job where every day is interesting and memorable, we perform to our highest ability, and our contribution is consistently recognised and rewarded.

A company’s culture has a profound impact on our success and wellbeing. But how often do you consider culture when exploring new opportunities? 

Here’s why and how to assess culture fit before accepting a job offer. 

In this guide: 

• Why you should care about finding culture fit
• Prepare for your interview
• 10 workplace culture questions to ask during your interview

Why you should care about finding culture fit 

Culture fit is the likelihood that you’ll easily adapt to the core business beliefs, attitudes and behaviours that drive an organisation – that ‘how we do things around here’ chestnut. When a poor fit emerges, your working life can feel incredibly challenging. 

Two basic examples of poor culture fit in action: 

Imagine that you’re super introverted and you prefer working autonomously on focused work, and you join an organisation that demands high-touch day-to-day team interactions and back-to-back in-person meetings to ‘keep everyone up to speed’. 

Or… you’re a creative, social butterfly and crave in-person interaction to keep you motivated, and a flat hierarchy where your constant supply of ideas are heard and actioned quickly. But your rigid, bureaucratic workplace doesn’t invite innovation or engage on a personal level, adhering to the mantra – ‘Professionalism at all costs’. 

Welp. 

Regardless of how dressed up a job offer might be, if the way you work doesn’t align with the way the employer does work, you aren’t going to be happy for long (and it’s doubtful you’ll ever feel like you belong and are thriving). 

Here are some things you can do to help you ​assess the culture before you commit. 

Prepare for your interview 

There’s a fair bit you can do before you even get to interviews that can help you figure out if a potential employer is the right fit for your preferred work style. 

First: Reflect on your preferences and working style 

Here are some common work preferences to get you thinking: 

• Do you prefer working autonomously from home or in the hustle bustle of an office (or a mix of both)? 
• Do you prefer a flat hierarchy where all voices and opinions are heard and considered? 
• Do you *need* the latest cutting-edge tech and tools, or do you prefer the comfort of familiarity? 
• How do you like to be managed? 
• How do you like to be recognized, promoted, and rewarded? 

Once you’ve determined what’s important to you, you can actively seek this information in your research. 

Second: Check out their digital vibe 

There’s so much to learn about an employer from their digital footprint. Start with their website and career site (obvs), but include their social media profiles and any third-party review sites, like Seek, Indeed, or Glassdoor to see what employees are saying, too. If you find missing or conflicting information, then you’ll know to follow up with some questions during interviews. 

Third: Prepare and ask the same questions of every employer 

For the sake of accurate benchmarking, you’ll want to ask the same questions at all your interviews.

That way, if you’re weighing up multiple offers, you can assess clearly who provides the better cultural fit for your working style and needs. 

10 culture-fit questions to ask during your interview 

Now that you know what’s important, you can prepare a few workplace culture-related questions for your interview. 

1. How would you describe the company culture and work environment? 
2. What does work-life balance/integration look like here? 
3. How does the company live its values in the day-to-day? 
4. Can you describe your management style? 
5. How do people here like to give and receive feedback? 
6. How do you recognise and reward employee performance? 
7. How do you support employee learning and development? 
8. What 3 traits do you need to succeed in this role and work well with the team? 
9. What do you wish you knew about this company’s culture before starting here? 
10. How does the company support / amplify employee voices published externally? (For example, do they encourage employees to share their stories and insights on social media, or is it a heavily moderated, shoulder-tapping culture.) 

To be clear: Culture-fit is not about creating one homogenous employee personality. It refers to the day-to-day operational stuff that can enhance or hinder your success in a role and organisation. That’s why it’s beneficial to take some time to figure out what you need from a workplace, so you can perform at your best.