Employer Branding
Recruitment
6 questions to ask to uncover a culture of silence, before you take the job
16 JULY 2025
How to identify the culture at your new workplace
An article for you who are heading for your next career step and want to avoid a workplace where it is quiet when people should be speaking up.
A culture of silence arises when people stop speaking up because it does not feel safe, meaningful or possible. It can stem from top-down leadership, unclear reactions from managers or an informal norm. The consequences show in lower innovation, weaker engagement and, in the end, valuable employees leaving.
So how do you know whether a workplace has a culture of silence? Here are six questions to ask in the interview process and what to listen for.
1. How do you work with feedback, within the team and between levels in the organisation?
Why it matters: A culture of silence thrives where feedback only flows in one direction. A healthy workplace has structures for giving and receiving feedback regardless of role.
Listen for: Do they talk about regular one-to-ones? Are employees allowed to bring ideas and criticism? Does it seem like leaders can be questioned?
2. How do you handle mistakes?
Why it matters: In organisations where mistakes are punished, employees tend to stay silent even when speaking up could have saved a project. Psychological safety is built where people are allowed to fail and learn.
Listen for: Answers suggesting that mistakes are seen as learning and an important part of developing both the organisation and its people.
3. What happens when someone raises a problem related to culture?
Why it matters: This is a direct indicator of how the employer values culture. If problems are swept under the rug or “handled internally” without transparency, that is a warning sign.
Listen for: Are there forums for talking about culture? Do they bring in external help or tools that measure employee satisfaction? Are there examples of positive changes that followed internal feedback?
4. How have you developed your leadership in recent years?
Why it matters: Leadership sets the tone for the culture. Organisations that deliberately develop their leaders show that they understand their responsibility for the psychological climate.
Listen for: Do they mention leadership programmes, coaching or internal training? Do they talk about safety, communication or trust-based leadership?
5. What are you proud of in your culture, and what are you still working on?
Why it matters: Every workplace has challenges. An employer willing to talk about them openly shows self-awareness and maturity. That is often a good sign.
Listen for: Do you get a nuanced answer with both pride and a desire to improve? Avoid employers who say everything is perfect.
6. How would you describe collaboration in the teams?
Why it matters: In a culture of silence it can be hard to collaborate openly. A safe team is marked by open dialogue, shared learning and trust.
Listen for: Do you hear about initiatives that promote collaboration, such as retros, team development or shared goals? Do they talk about the atmosphere in the teams rather than individual performance?
Your future work environment starts in the interview
Employers who are open about their challenges, invite dialogue and build a culture where voices are heard are often the most successful at engagement and wellbeing.
So use the interview to find out what matters most: what it is actually like to work there.
Want to strengthen your employer brand? Read more about how Oddwork works with employer branding, from analysis and EVP to campaigns and measurement.
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