However, the problem is that most companies reduce culture to a handful of generic buzzwords: “We’re collaborative, innovative, and fun.” Candidates see through that instantly. Not only does it fail to differentiate you, but it also risks creating distrust when the reality doesn’t match the words on paper.

To attract and retain the right people, your culture description has to be specific and actually reflect the experience of working in your organization. In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to describe company culture.

Why Company Culture Matters

Company culture defines the shared values, behaviors, and environment that shape the employee experience at any workplace. It shows up in how leaders make decisions, how teams collaborate, and how employees feel walking into work every day.

Besides just being a “feel-good” factor, a positive company culture is also directly tied to business success. Research from 2024 has found that organizations with strong, healthy cultures perform better, showing a 72% spike in employee engagement and a 62% drop in turnover. Engaged employees are simply more productive, more innovative, and more committed to the company’s goals.

Just as importantly, culture has become a top decision-making factor for job seekers. It’s one of the main things applicants read about before applying, valuing it even more than compensation or benefits. A strong paycheck alone won’t do the job, as high-value candidates want to know if they’ll feel aligned, supported, and motivated in the workplace.

Challenges in Describing Company Culture

Most culture statements read the same: “We’re fun, dynamic, and collaborative.” But do phrases like these actually mean anything? They sound generic and insincere, especially considering that only 28% of business leaders believe they truly understand their culture, according to Deloitte.

The danger of relying on these buzzwords is twofold. First, there’s the risk of oversimplification since it reduces a complex, lived experience to a few empty adjectives.

Then, there’s the risk of dishonesty. When a company oversells a culture that doesn’t exist, employees quickly notice. The MIT Sloan Management Review found that employees are 10.4 times more likely to leave a job because of a toxic culture than because of pay issues.

This disconnect between stated and lived culture is especially problematic in remote and hybrid workplaces. With fewer in-person touchpoints, culture can easily get overlooked. In fact, Gallup says that only 28% of remote workers feel strongly connected to their company’s culture.

Key Company Culture Elements to Focus On

When describing company culture, it’s easy to lean on fluffy adjectives to appeal to candidates. What they’re actually looking for is a description that feels specific, grounded, and authentic. Here are some elements you should focus on while writing:

Work Environment: Start with the basics: how and where people work. Is your setup primarily in-office, fully remote, or hybrid? Is there room for flexibility, or is the schedule structured?
Leadership Style: Your leadership style has a huge impact on culture. Is the structure hierarchical, with clear chains of command, or flat, where anyone can voice ideas directly to decision-makers?
Values: It’s easy to mention your “values” in a job description, but are they being lived out daily? Instead of vague claims, show exactly how these values translate into real practices. For example, if transparency is a core value, that could mean open salary bands or weekly all-hands meetings.
Growth and Development: Employees care deeply about whether they’ll be supported in growing their careers. The Harvard Business Review even states that 86% would switch jobs for better growth opportunities. So, ask yourself, do you offer structured training programs, mentoring opportunities, or frequent promotion pathways? For instance, you could mention that every employee has a professional development budget or that managers hold quarterly career check-ins.

Social Connection: Finally, company culture is also about how people connect on a human level. What rituals or traditions bring your team together? It could be weekly team lunches, virtual coffee chats for remote workers, or annual retreats that encourage bonding.

How to Describe Company Culture Properly

Here’s a step-by-step process to get your company culture description right.

Step 1: Lead with Values

Identify your company’s core values early on in the description since it’s one of the first things candidates look for. This is especially true for younger workers; Deloitte says 44% of Gen Z and 40% of millennials have rejected potential employers who didn’t align with their values. If inclusivity, sustainability, or innovation matters in your workplace, make sure it’s front and center.

Step 2: Describe Behaviors

Instead of saying “we’re collaborative,” show the candidate what that looks like. For example: “Our cross-department teams meet weekly to brainstorm solutions together.” Specific actions are much more likely to build trust than generic buzzwords.

Step 3: Aspirational vs. Current

It’s fine to discuss where you’re heading, but don’t oversell. Overpromising changes in culture is a fast way to lose trust, especially since 23% of corporate culture change efforts yield no noticeable results. Be honest about what’s true today at your workplace.

Step 4: Keep It Short

Culture descriptions don’t need to be long. A LinkedIn study found that only about 28% of candidates want detailed culture information in the initial job description. Most prefer a few key points upfront, with more detail available on your careers page or company site.

Step 5: Avoid Cliches

One of the quickest ways to lose credibility is using tired phrases like “We’re like a family.” Candidates have seen this line so often that it has lost all meaning. In some cases, it even raises red flags since it can imply blurred boundaries, unpaid emotional labor, or expectations of loyalty without respect and fair treatment.

Conclusion

The first rule for “How to describe company culture” is: Don’t copy and paste a paragraph into every job posting. Instead, your culture description should reflect the reality of your employees’ experiences. The way you describe it can either attract the right people or drive them away.

Just keep it authentic, specific, and concise, and never promise what you can’t deliver. Candidates care about culture as much as, if not more than, pay, so getting this right is absolutely crucial.