Is An Unconventional Office Culture a Good Thing?

An unconventional office culture can lead to the hiring of top talent. It's also beneficial for employees looking to find a perfect fit for their ideology. Thanks to so many companies with innovative ideas that cater to the millennial generation, there are tons of different company cultures for you to explore.

An Unconventional Office Culture

The marks of an unconventional office culture include thinking of things differently than other companies. For instance, your chosen company may mix things up every Friday and go beyond just casual wear. Instead of dressing down on Friday, companies might give employees the day off. There might be a lunch once a month where everyone goes out to eat, or a catered lunch is brought to the office. Your team might have tea time, go bowling or engage in some other fun team-building activity on a Friday.

The point is that an unconventional office culture stands out from other companies. The idea is to give employees a fun place to work that doesn't seem like work all of the time. When you're exploring the type of cultural fit you want, examining a company's About Us page only goes so far. When you search for your employer, use the interview to your advantage and get to know the employees at the company. Walk around to see what it's really like to work there and get a feel for the place.

When you don't find a good fit, don't be afraid to turn down a company despite a great job offer. Your professional happiness could be at stake. Statistics back up the fact that more and more members of the millennial generation want an unconventional office culture to help meet their professional goals.

Statistics

CareerBuilder's infographic about unconventional office culture reported that nearly 14 percent of workers said their office culture was unconventional. A full 41 percent said their office culture included great ways for people to put forth new ideas for innovation. Just 9 percent said their culture was strict and disciplined.

These statistics also reveal how employees relate to each other. Up to 30 percent said their co-workers were very friendly, while 4 percent were extremely friendly, as if they were family. More than one-fourth, or 27 percent, said their co-workers acted professionally. One key statistic revolved around casual Fridays. Four in 10 employees, or 41 percent, said that casual Fridays were amazing and their company took special measures to do something different each week. More than one-quarter, or 27 percent, said they were enthusiastic about casual Fridays, and 14 percent felt more energetic on those days. Unconventional casual Fridays seem have a lasting effect on employees.

When you seek a better work environment, one item you might want to examine in your job search is an unconventional office culture. Statistics show that you might be more relaxed and work better when there's some casual aspect to the office that breaks with traditional norms.

Photo courtesy of Nikyi Ovett at Flickr.com