Some companies have good work cultures. They are an environment where employees can thrive and do their best work. Happy and effective employees lead to customers who are well looked-after.

Other companies have cultures that are not so good. The lack of access to clean facilities in a first-world country like Australia still astounds me. Ergonomic chairs to sit on is another basic need that is often neglected. Taking a customer’s money and then not providing them with the service they paid for, fearing change because it will “break” things and keeping secrets are some other signs.

Industrial age working conditions like having rigid work hours, having to be “seen” to know that you are working and where you have to be micromanaged because you can’t be “trusted” are not very effective in the information age.

Unfortunately if you do work for one of these “other” companies then you should strive to change the culture should you choose to stay. It will take a monumental effort and it might be fleeting. You owe it to yourself to try. Most companies will ignore any issues that they have. They might say things like “we have improved dramatically over the last year, you should have seen it when ….” Culture flows from top to bottom. If you are in a bad culture you only have to look to the leaders to see where it flows from.

You owe it to yourself to have a good working environment. Fight for it if you have to. Leave if you can’t change it.