Why is Company Culture So Important?

There’s no denying that the most crucial aspect of any successful organization is its workforce. But what helps that workforce navigate the challenges that come with a team’s varying personalities? Simple: company culture.

What Does Company Culture Mean?

Generally speaking, company culture refers to the personality of a company. It’s an organization's ethos and framework; tent poles that showcase what a company is all about. Company culture can range from how many hours a day you’re expected to work to whether or not your team gets together for a happy hour every Friday. Company cultures can be competitive, nurturing, or even toxic.

Why Is Company Culture So Important?

Because you spend at least forty hours a week at work, company culture is incredibly important to your success and happiness at a company. That said, there isn’t necessarily a right or wrong company culture. Instead, it’s about finding a company culture that aligns with your personality, work ethic, and beliefs.

Aligning yourself with your company’s culture allows you to feel like you fit in and are appreciated for the work you do. In fact, a positive company culture can increase workplace satisfaction and productivity. On the other side of the coin, not fitting into a company culture can leave an employee feeling isolated and unsupported. Try using these guidelines when deciding which new workplace to call home.

Is the Company Culture Right for You?

Here are a few ways you can tell if the company’s culture is a right fit for your personality:

●Website check: We all do it; we find a job description we like and then we immediately jump on the company’s website, or more particularly, their “About” page. About pages provide useful information like the company’s mission and goals. Some may even include past and current employee testimonials. We also recommend checking a company’s blog and social media channels for any insight into company culture, including work events, benefits information, etc.

●External research: There are many useful tools at a job seeker’s disposal, and we advise using them. Perusing a company’s page on websites like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Indeed (especially the review sections) can help you mold a better understanding of what it would be like to work somewhere.

●Ask Questions: Once you’ve gotten to the interview stage, even if you’re sure you’re in-tune with the company’s culture, always ask what the culture is like as well as how your interviewer fits into that culture. Having that first-hand knowledge will be essential when you try to decide.

AIFP’s Company Culture

What makes a good company culture? At American International Forest Products, we work hard to create a company culture that fosters mentorship, recognizes and rewards hard work, supports our community, and prioritizes team bonding and events.

Our mission is to be the industry leader in lumber trading, and our culture prides itself on five core values: communication, responsibility, integrity, leadership, and respect. We aim to put our people and our partners first in everything we do, and like any healthy company, we balance work with play. In fact, our unofficial motto is “work hard, play hard!”

Want to know what makes AIFP one of the best places to work in Oregon? Check out the AIFP blog for more information about company events and culture, as well as more information about our lumber trader training program and what we’re looking for in job candidates. Send us your resume to apply today!