15+ Must-ask company culture questions to ask
Sometimes, the best candidate may not be the most suitable one for the company culture; therefore, hiring them would be a mistake. Recruiters know about this issue, but only a handful of candidates know what questions to ask to make this decision for themselves.
That is why we gathered the best questions to ask about company culture for you to learn about it. The candidate can ask these questions to learn about the company culture, or the manager of the company can share a company culture survey. Thanks to the questions below, you can know what to expect and if the company fits your future goals. Let us get started!
What is a company culture?
Company culture is the shared values, behaviors, working styles, and practices that define the way employees work individually and among each other.
According to Mike Zani, “Company culture is what employees live and breathe every day in the workplace.”
For example, some company managers want their employees to work in suits and ties as it fits the image in their minds, and another company is okay with their employees wearing sneakers and sweatshirts on the job. They think if being comfortable makes them more productive, then let them be! So, company culture can be boiled down to something that small.
Why ask company culture questions
When you get interviewed for a position in a company, remember that you are not the only one being investigated. You also have a right to ask questions about the company to figure out if you can easily fit into the environment or if they are what you are looking for. At the end of the meeting, the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions you would like to ask them. That is your moment to ask your questions.
You should have some questions ready to ask them and get the information you need and not lose that opportunity. Of course, it is not possible to ask every one of them. That is exactly why you should be prepared and know what you will ask. To have a general idea, you should ask questions because it is important to know the company’s:
- Day-to-day work environment
- Problem-solving techniques
- Support of the employees
- Feedback frequency
15+ Essential company culture questions to ask
When it’s your turn to ask questions, you can not blatantly ask, “So, what is your company culture like?” and expect an effective answer. Instead, you should ask about the areas you are most interested in. Also, if you are trying to decide between the top two opportunities, you can ask the same questions to decide more easily. Let us start with the first question.
1. How would you describe the work environment?
You can ask the interviewer to describe a normal day in the workplace. It is a great way to know about the culture fit. This could be the very first question you ask, as even this simple question can help you explore so much.
2. Is the work environment a collaborative one?
Some people like to work in teams, and others thrive on solo work. If having one or the other is important for you, you make sure you will not be blindsided on your first day of work by asking this question.
3. What kind of team-building activities do you have?
Some companies organize team-building activities outside of working hours, like happy hours, and some companies have calm retreats within working hours. If you enjoy these activities and are a social person, this is a good question to ask.
4. What are some ways the company celebrates success?
When you ask this question, you can figure out the level of praise and acknowledgment of success. It is important to get recognition for the work you do for overall job satisfaction and be proud to work hard for the company.
5. What are the consequences of making a mistake?
Ask this question to know company support and learn from the challenges. Try to get the interviewer to answer the questions about the process of overcoming the shortcomings. They may use some positive reinforcements for career growth, too.
6. What is the management style like?
As an employee, you may wish a manager who is involved and supportive. However, on the contrary, you may want the management not to interfere with your work if you are a skilled worker. By asking this question during the interview process, you may get a general idea about the corporate culture.
7. What is the dress code?
Having the employees wear suits and tie makes them look professional and presentable. Having them wear smart casual clothes gives the feeling of a relaxed working environment. If you are used to wearing comfortable clothes when working long hours, you do not like to work in a place where wearing ties is mandatory.
8. What are the main values of the company?
If the interviewer can easily list the main values of the company, it is a good indicator that the company culture is set and is a central part of the business life. You can also ask them to tell you the main mission of the business.
9. What kind of flexible work arrangements do you have in place?
Some companies believe flexibility is necessary for professional development and a stress-free life. It can be about working 4 and a half days a week or remote working every Friday. If you value working in a flexible company, you should keep this detail in mind.
10. What does work-life balance mean to the company?
It is important to have clear boundaries between working hours and off time. For example, some managers or companies expect you to be alert and available all the time, and if this is something you are okay with, that means you are a good fit. But, if you value your undisturbed free time, you should refrain from working at a place like that.
11. What kind of training programs do you have?
This question is for the people who want to improve themselves and get better at what they are doing. If you are one of those people, ask this question to figure out which companies offer training programs and if they give certificates, too.
12. Is this the place for someone who wants to move up in their career?
If you are someone who wants to move up in the career letter, be sure to ask this question. By asking this question, you will know from the start whether it is possible to move within the company to higher positions.
13. Are there any specific company traditions?
This question can be asked at the very end of the questions or when you start the company. They may have traditions for special holidays, have birthday parties for every employee, or pick Secret Santa every year.
14. What is your process for giving feedback?
This is a good question when you value supervisor feedback to grow yourself. They can answer their feedback process and say how often they do it. This is an important detail when you know feedback is what feeds growth.
15. What changes have been made to the company culture in recent years?
The way the recruiter answers this question will give you a good idea of whether the company is open to changes and innovation or not. Also, you may figure out the possible challenges by what was changed in the past.
16. What makes you proud to work in this company?
The way the employees answer the question is a good way of knowing what the company values and works towards. The reason the employees are proud to work in that place could be about its mission, helping people, making money, or being successful.
How to create a company culture questionnaire
Creating a company culture questionnaire can be very easy with the right tools. You can go old school and use a physical questionnaire and spend money, time, and resources, or you can create an online survey that can save you so much precious time. Let us see, step by step, how to create a company culture survey:
1. Go to an online survey maker, such as forms.app, and go to the “Templates” page.
forms.app templates
2. Then, you can choose the appropriate survey template and start editing it. (You can also build your form from scratch!)
Choose a template
3. Add questions according to your goal, and use different question types.
Add your company culture questions
4. Edit the design and colors of the survey to match the company colors or your aesthetic.
Change the design of your survey
5. Finalize the survey and check it one last time.
Check your survey
6. Finally, you can start sharing the survey with the employees no matter where they are.
Choose a sharing option for your survey
3 tips for a better company culture questionnaire
When you want to know about the company, and you decide to make a company culture questionnaire be mindful of the tips below. You can not ask every possible question; that would be too long and boring. Instead, focus on what you want to learn.
- Decide on what you want to know: The most important thing is what you want to figure out with these questions. The very first step is figuring out your goal. Because, only then you can effectively use the questions.
- Gather the questions you will ask: When you know what you want to gain from asking these questions, you can focus on finding the right question. Be careful not to make them too long or complicated.
- Cover various aspects but focus on the core values: You know what you want to know, and you know what you want to ask. Have various questions with multiple question types on the subjects you want to focus on.
💡 If you wish to know more about using different question types and how to use them, you can check out this ultimate guide to form questions.
Conclusion
Company culture is what makes up the everyday life of the employees, their ambitions, and habits. Every company has its own company culture, even when they are not aware of it. It shows itself by the way employees work, dress, and interact with one another. When a manager or a company owner wants to pinpoint the exact elements of their company’s culture, they can easily create a company culture survey.
Additionally, when a new candidate is thinking about starting to work in a company, they can ask company culture questions to get to know the company before starting to work there. That’s why we have gathered these questions to work as a guide to everyone in need
Anyone can easily build their own company culture questionnaire using a smart and effective survey maker such as forms.app. Be sure to check it out and so much more!
