What makes a great corporate culture

When I graduated university in 2008, I had no idea what I wanted to do. Not a clue. When you’re considering going to law school in the same thought as taking a job in construction, it’s pretty obvious that you don’t have a clear career path laid out.

There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, my guess is that a ton of new graduates are pretty lost when it comes to career direction. I personally think that this can be a good thing because it forces you to experience different things and learn about yourself.

Fast forward to today. I’ve done an internship, which transitioned to an entry level job, and now I’m on my second ‘real’ job. If there is one thing that I look for in an employer above all else, it’s a great corporate culture.

Here are three things that I think make a culture great:

Encourage new ideas

I don’t want to be a robot. In fact, one of my favorite things about working is thinking of new ideas to help move the business forward. I love coming up with an idea, researching it, and proposing it. An environment that encourages innovation and free thinking is crucial to success and will ensure that people stick around. When someone comes up with a new idea, share the idea with the team. This will keep things exciting and encourage others to brainstorm.

Freedom

To me, freedom is being able to make my own decisions when it comes to little things like taking lunch or a break. It may seem trivial, but I believe it has a great impact on productivity and morale.

If I can get away from my desk to think, or take a break when I’m stuck on something, I’m much more productive. Happier too. I do better work if I can take a few minutes when I need to, not just when I’m allowed to. It shows that an employer trusts their employees to complete their work on time.

Have some fun

Fun is crucial. We have a lot of fun at TalentEgg. Every Friday we stop working early and have a beer. We each share our highlight of the week and talk about how our weeks went. Not only is this is a great opportunity to learn what every team member is working on, but we also get to know each other a little better.

What makes your culture great?