Core Values
Imagine you work in an office that has 90-minute staff meetings once a week. How do you want those staff meetings to go? How do you want to feel before, during, and after the meetings? Are these meetings a highlight or frustration of your week? Do you hope for the days a meeting is cancelled or do you genuinely miss the chance to see everyone in one place?
It's hard to fully articulate what a strong workplace culture looks like, but most people have a feeling about when it’s healthy and when it’s not. Some indicators are immediately obvious, while others may not show up until you’ve been working for a couple of months. So, when trying to figure out what the culture is like in a prospective office, sometimes the best approach is to ask directly. “Can you describe the core values in the office? Specifically as it relates to workplace culture and expectations.”
This is a fairly predictable question but it is far from easy to answer. In part because the question can be interpreted in a variety of ways but also because teams rarely discuss or directly outline their values. They generally operate on an understood basis, so when they are asked point blank, there will likely be a pause, but pay attention to the silence.
Generally, one of three things could happen:
After a brief pause, you may see a few smiles or other positive facial reactions. Multiple people may even try to respond at once. They could reply with specific values they’ve collectively outlined. They may also discuss expectations around the ideas of shared value/respect, mutual responsibility to take action, desire to innovate, or anything that demonstrates their values around cultivating a positive work environment.
After a brief pause, you may be asked to clarify what you mean by “core values”. You could respond by asking “what drives or fuels the culture of the office?” or by coming up with your own clarification question.
Some people may look down or away, stare blankly, or make a face, while others look around expectantly to see who will respond. Eventually a forced or canned answer may be provided. It’s safe to take this as a red flag, but feel free to ask a follow up question if times allows.
Now, silence of any kind is not a red flag. In fact, it can be a good thing. It can show thoughtfulness in taking time to formulate a response. But at the same time, it can indicate uncertainty, doubt, or even embarrassment. So, it is imperative to pay attention to body language. If you’re not able to see the committee because the interview is conducted via phone, pay attention to the tone of voice, level of eagerness to respond, and specificity of the answers.
Overall, asking about the “core values” should prompt a deeper response than simply asking about the “office culture”. It’s usually easier to respond about office culture with quick/light-hearted answers such as fun, family, hard-working, etc., but asking about values forces people to think beyond the surface and consider what they actually value in the office.
Ultimately, the response to this question is rarely clean cut. You are unlikely to find extremes in this (or any) scenario, so practice interpreting the gray and make judgements based on your past experiences and current needs.
TL/DR:
Question Category/Theme: Team Culture and Values
Question: Can you describe the core values in the office? Specifically, as it relates to workplace culture/expectations.
Meaning: What drives the office culture/work environment?
Green Flags: Creativity, collaboration, shared value and respect, shared responsibility to solve problems, ongoing learning, etc.
Red Flags: Difficulty answering question, closed body language, averting eyes, dry/canned responses, etc.
