The average person spends about 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. With so much time spent at work, your workplace can have a huge impact on your quality of life and overall happiness. According to The Conference Board’s Job Satisfaction 2019 report, 46.3% of US workers are not satisfied with their work.
While several different components play into high job satisfaction, one of the main drivers is company culture.
There are many ways to measure company culture: ratings from online resources like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Comparably, “Best Workplace” lists from Business Insider and Forbes, and programs and certifications specifically for acknowledging great cultures, like Great Place to Work, share company rankings from anonymous employee feedback and surveys.
So what makes a great company culture? It’s tough to pin down because there are many different factors that make up a company’s environment. From the employee surveys published, common themes range from compensation, perks and benefits, leadership, professional development, and work-life balance.
Companies with cultures that we admire and that frequently make “Best Place to Work” lists include:
HubSpot: They have a supportive and transparent environment where every team member’s voice is heard, and clear goals are established early on with support from the team. HubSpot has a strong set of values, and leadership places a huge emphasis on hiring the right people.
Employees say: “While at HubSpot I have seen a massive effort to improve internal tools and to ensure people have what they need to get the job done.”
Salesforce: Their culture has a heavy emphasis on social impact and community, and employees are encouraged to volunteer. Trust and customer success are the most emphasized values throughout the organization.
Employees say: “It's an incredibly supportive place to work and you get time off to volunteer; one of the best benefits there can be.”
Google: Employees are surrounded by supportive people and employees are trusted with working on challenging issues, providing many different opportunities for development and growth.
Employees say: “Working at Google is truly amazing. The best people, perks, and awesome company culture with lots of opportunities for growth.”
Pinterest: Pinterest is a place for people to discover the things they love and find inspiration to go out and do those things, and this same approach is instilled upon employees. One of the best embodiments of Pinterest’s creative company culture is a two-day internal conference called KnitCon, where employees share their talents and passions with each other.
Thumbtack: Great Place to Work certified, and frequently named to “Best Workplaces to Work” lists, 96% of Thumbtack employees say it’s a rewarding place to work, calling out flexible time off, and support and care from teammates.
Every organization is different, and every company has a different definition of culture, made up of mutually agreed-upon terms that guide the attitudes, activities, and disciplines of its workforce—many call it “the personality of a company.” Sometimes cultures are established early on, and others they come about organically. And they certainly can change over time.
People who feel connected to their company culture showcase increased motivation, productivity, engagement, and a sense of connection both to their colleagues and their work.
For cred, company culture is a top priority—and something we love nurturing! Interested in reading more about how we build and scale our company personality? Check out these blog posts:
*all employee quotes from Glassdoor
**Source: Glassdoor