Company culture can be difficult to define. And when your company has a “casual” work place new hires can sometimes think that a causal approach also means a company is not serious about how they conduct business. How can you tell when a new hire is not a good fit with your company culture? Here are some red flags to watch out for:
1. He doesn’t follow the rules
This should be obvious, but if your new hire is not rolling like the rest of the team or pushing the boundaries, he’s not fitting in. Sometimes this kind of rule-breaking can be subtle: he doesn’t quite follow the dress code, or he refuses to answer the phone the way he’s supposed to. Watch out for it.
2. She isn’t part of the team
Some people prefer to work independently, and that’s fine. It’s okay if your new hire doesn’t want to play pinball in the lounge. But if she can’t fit in with team members on group projects, or make a minimal effort to interact with coworkers in a friendly way, you have a problem.
3. He argues constantly in meetings
He may like playing devil’s advocate. At RevZilla.com, we enjoy playful arguments over the merits of AGV Helmets and Shoei Helmets, but if your new employee just wants to argue to stir the pot and agitate others, he’s not interested in being on the team and embracing company culture.
4. She doesn’t respect shared spaces
If your new employee is leaving dirty dishes in the sink or plastering public spaces with her idea of décor, she is not being considerate of her fellow coworkers.
5. Other employees don’t enjoy working with him
If your other employees dread working with him, if they would rather kick him than kick ass, there’s a major issue. Pay close attention to the way your other employees interact with “”and talk about””your new hire.
6. She requires a disproportionate amount of managerial time, even after training
Some extra training may be necessary in the beginning, but if you notice that a supervisor’s time is being spent holding someone’s hand, it’s an indication that person is not “getting it.”
7. He seems unhappy
This may seem obvious, but if your new hire is unhappy, he’s probably not fitting in. A good company culture can make up for the moments of drudgery in every job. If your new hire is a sadsack spending each day moping and complaining, he’s working for the wrong company.
About the Author: This post was written by Lee Anne Fischl of www.revzilla.com – a large online motorcycle gear marketplace. Great company culture is most important at RevZilla, whether that means going the extra mile to satisfy our customers, or taking a group paintball outing to foster team unity.