Culture and Horoscopes - Mar 19, 2024 Newsletter

Put your reading glasses on. 👓 We help you identify whether a company is a good cultural fit for you. Read on to discover our top signs to look out for! 

In today’s edition:

• Candidate turns down role based on astrology →

• Signs of a toxic work environment →

• Work–life balance planner (on us!) →

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Candidates turn down jobs based on star signs 😱

You probably thought you’ve heard it all, but the latest news on the block is candidates turning down jobs based on their potential manager’s star sign. 🤔

An HR manager at language app Ling was stunned when a candidate turned down the role because they discovered that their direct supervisor is an Aries. The reason being that she had terrible experiences with previous Aries managers and didn’t want to work with one again.

But it’s not just candidates who are obsessing over astrology; hiring managers are also using it to judge whether a person would be suitable for a role based on common astrological traits. And reporter Caroline Colvin admits that she is super keen to know all of her colleagues’ zodiac signs to assess their personality in the workplace.

I don’t know about you, but essentially judging someone on their star sign seems a bit far-fetched to me! After all, no two people are the same (regardless of their zodiac sign).

What are your thoughts? Reply to this mail and let us know! 

— Joanna Zambas

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DAILY INSPO

TODAY’S ADVICE

How to tell if a company’s culture suits you 🤝

Company culture can make or break employee morale. The healthier it is, the more trust and respect between colleagues can be nurtured. The worse it is, the less engaged and productive team members are bound to be.

So, how can you know what you’re getting yourself into before you actually sign your job agreement and move on to a different employer? The sad truth is that you can’t — not 100 percent. 💔 Even if you’ve got a friend on the inside, their experience may differ vastly to yours!

Having said that, there are still ways you can assess whether a company’s culture is a right fit to a fairly large degree. You’ll have to do some inner searching, some Google searching, and some asking around at your next job interview! 🕵️

Questions to ask yourself:

• “What am I looking for in an employer?” — Is it CSR initiatives, personalized employee benefits, a dedicated games room, or a close-knit team that calls themselves a family?

• “What are my dealbreakers?” — Favoritism, discrimination, workplace competition? Take a note of these, as you’ll need them once you’ve moved on to the next step.

Things to do:

• Scour the company’s social media pages and website for clues. See what values, achievements, initiatives and benefits they seem to emphasize the most.

• Look at former and current employee reviews online. How many of your buzzwords do you see in (fairly recent) reviews?

Questions to ask the hiring manager in an interview:

• “How would you describe the company culture?” — If the interviewer falters, that’s probably not a good sign. 🙅

• “Do employees participate in team activities?” — Whether that’s team-building activities or after-work drinks, it can tell you a lot.

WEEKLY GIFT

The balancing act of work and life ⚖️

A strong company culture isn’t the only thing that impacts your job satisfaction — a healthy work–life balance can also do wonders. Which is why we’re giving you our downloadable Work–Life Balance Planner — to help you find your happiness in and out of the workplace.

Stay tuned for more awesome gifts.

WHAT WE’RE READING

The Secrets to Happiness at Work by Tracy Brower

Sociologist and award-winning speaker Dr Tracy Brower’s book is a must-read if you’re looking to transform your workplace experience. Across its 150+ pages, you’ll find a whole slew of techniques, strategies and tips to improve job satisfaction, work–life balance, productivity, and more.

BREAK ROOM

Catch you on the next one :)

🧡 Created with care by Chris Leitch, Joanna Zambas, and Electra Michaelidou.

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