Have you faced the dilemma of choosing between a tech company’s friendly culture and a salary offer? If that’s your case, you are not alone; in fact, this is the most common doubt when taking a job offer in the tech industry. But then, how do I make the best decision? Culture? or tech salary?  

Let’s look at some suggestions to consider when joining a company!   

Culture   

The culture of a company is basically the personality. When you match a company’s culture is like finding a new friend. So, be cautious when selecting the friend that will be with you for the next months or years during a significant time of your day.   

We can see the company’s culture from different approaches:  

1. How the company influence positively your life experience  

The global crisis is pushing employers to pay more attention to the environment they are creating for their teams. Considering that work is immersed in the life experience, daily work activities must be friendly with the usual routines (exercise, reading, cooking, or any other activity related to your roles within your family, like motherhood or fatherhood), in order to promote physical and mental health, productivity, and general performance.  

Also, consider that it is very likely that you will spend the next 2 to 5 years (in our average tenure) on this job. Then the company is directly related to your personal and professional growth.   

Before deciding to take the offer, try to identify employee development plans, in which you can work with managers to identify your personal and professional goals and a path to achieve them. Think about where you want to be in five years and determine the proper steps to get there.  

2. Is the company open to diversity and inclusion?   

Diversity and inclusion are two related concepts—but they are far from interchangeable. Diversity is about representation or the make-up of an entity. Inclusion is about how well the contributions, presence, and perspectives of different groups of people are valued and integrated into an environment.  

An environment where many different genders, races, nationalities, and sexual orientations are present but only the perspectives of certain groups are valued or carry any authority or influence may be diverse, but not inclusive.  

We are all aware of the need to collectively move towards a fairer and more just society. The role of tech companies includes embracing workplace diversity and equality of opportunity.  

Therefore, consider whether the organization has open spaces for diversity and inclusion or how likely you are to be comfortable with the current cultural environment regarding acceptance and companionship.  

3. Is the company remote-friendly?   

Some companies were remote-friendly some time ago, but Covid-19 helped reshape the traditional urban work style in most technology companies. Pandemic taught us the importance of flexibility and trust from an economic, sustainability, and health perspective.  

So, if working from home is essential to you, consider the following characteristics of a remote-friendly company:  

• Promotes the flexible mix of work and family life at home  
• It doesn’t have a rigid work schedule  
• Measures output more than the general set of hours  
• Meetings are scheduled with prior notice  

“In 2021, I expect to see a rise of new jobs where employees will be measured by their output, as opposed to an agreed-upon set of hours.” – Harvard Business Review. 

4. Wellness Programs  

As a result of the home office, the sedentary demands placed on teams often increase mental and physical healthcare issues. Also, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought well-being to the forefront as people are more aware than ever about the impact of mental health on employees and, by association, the workplace.  

Therefore, make sure that the company has a program for preventing injuries and illnesses caused by working conditions and protects and promotes your health.  

Companies must always try to improve working conditions, environment, and health at work by promoting physical, mental, and social well-being.  

Salary  

We all know that salary is just a number, but beyond that, it is what that number means in life.  

Now, it is clear that the industry is highly competitive, and tech salary offers are constantly increasing in the wake of the demand for talent. And it is normal that you are tempted to increase your income.  

Then, we suggest that before leaving a company or joining a new one, you consider the following:  

• When you receive a tech salary offer, you must identify if it fits your goals, projections, and monthly expenses.  
• Is the salary directly proportional to the well-being it will bring to your life financially and emotionally?  
• Some companies have incentive plans that allow you to obtain additional income or volume and performance bonuses. So you can ask if the one you are applying to has these types of programs.  

 In the end, the final decision will depend on your personal expectations! ; )  

Then … Culture vs. Salary, which is more important?  

Although salary is critical when accepting a job offer, fulfillment and opportunities to grow within an organization have also become vital. Many have realized that money is not the most important factor in accepting a job offer.  

Concerns about maintaining a healthy work-life balance, flexible working hours, and the ability to work remotely are among the factors that have led many to re-evaluate the importance they place on money.  

Company culture is now a primary concern. Many industry leaders have sought to improve by investing countless resources to ensure that they provide a good working environment.  

According to The Guardian, many people now prefer the prospect of a “good life with a standard amount of money” over a life driven by money.  

Also, Glassdoor’s Top 10 Best Places to Work of 2020 helped research what happy employees value the most. Perhaps unsurprisingly, leadership was the most significant dimension for review scores. That is, if leadership was mentioned in a positive light, the reviewer likely viewed the company positively as well.  

Therefore, consider joining a company whose values you believe in, prioritizing company culture and learning opportunities without underestimating the salary offer.  

Finally, we hope this information helps you in your decision-making process about your current or next job.  

BTW, you can check our open positions here! Or you can leave us your information in the link below to let you know about future careers according to your interests.