Research from Robert Walters has found that almost three quarters (73%) of professionals have left a job because they disliked the company culture.

The study also found that while 82% of professionals have worked for a company where they disliked the company culture, 90% of employers recognised the importance of finding candidates who are a good cultural fit for their organisation.

“The majority of employers recognise that ensuring potential staff are a good cultural fit is important, given the serious impact poor cultural fit can have on productivity at work and ultimately whether or not staff will stay with the company,” said Daniel Harris, Director at Robert Walters.

“However, given the high number of professionals who have left a job due to issues with the company culture it is clear that many employers should consider the impact that company culture can have during the hiring process and in attracting and retaining top talent.”

As working habits evolve and the priorities of workers have shifted and employers should consider reviewing their company culture to ensure that they are responsive to these changing needs.

The research is from the latest whitepaper from Robert Walters, The Role of Workplace Culture in Recruiting Top Talent, which explores the impact working culture can have on recruitment, retention and employee satisfaction.

The whitepaper is based on a survey of over 1,000 professionals and hiring managers and is supported by workplace culture specialists Great Place to Work ®. 

Employers should consider which aspects of company culture are most significant to their staff and potential employees, consulting with HR specialists in workplace culture, recruiters and their own staff to keep abreast of shifting trends.

“As working habits evolve and the priorities of workers have shifted employers should consider reviewing their company culture to ensure that they are responsive to these changing needs,” James continued.

Misled over company culture

The research also found that over two thirds (67%) of professionals felt that they had been misled about company culture during the induction process. 53% felt that the overall environment did not match the job description and 51% felt misled over opportunities for career progression.

“Competition for the best professionals is fierce and employers are keen to promote the best aspects of their company culture to secure the best professionals,” James continued.

“However, employers should consider the importance of being transparent regarding the realities of working for their company. Ultimately, securing a highly skilled professional who does not remain with the company for long can be detrimental, impacting the bottom line and potentially having a negative impact on their co-workers as well.”