So I worked summer camp for years (and I was on one of the cleaning crews each time, by choice). I knew only a very few people who ever came back to that role after their first summer, some would come back to camp, but very few came back to our team.
Every year we'd get some variation of the "teamwork speech." "We win together or we lose together." Type bullshit "Let's keep the mood optimistic" blah, blah, blah. I'm sure most people have heard some version of it. It's the speech management gives when they want team oriented, high energy, outgoing, optimistic, bubbly types on their team. But see here's the thing, as previously mentioned there were very few people who returned to this role, and we did not fit this profile. We did not fit that profile at all. We were individualistic, tended to be selective with who we invested our energy in (we didn't particularly like each other[as in the other returners]), realists, and If I'm being honest we tended to be a bit on the gruff side. We were not the most popular, nor did we care to be. Yet we were the returners. We kept reapplying and they kept rehiring us.
I think about this in hind sight, and I think I started to realize it while I was there to. By my last year, I was certainly thinking "fat chance of that happening" during the speech. I have a theory, and I think it holds in other situations, although camp is a very extreme version, because it is so... all encompassing while you're there. Those of us who stayed, were those of us who "survived" so to speak. To hold up in that job we had to be more individualistic, more assertive. Our job was thankless our motivators had to be more internal. The cheerful, optimistic, always running around filling the gap types, they got walked all over and burned out fast. The "team players" quickly became disheartened by the reality of being the invisible crew. In other words those who fit the desired profile never came back.
Here's my theory, if you want to know what a work culture is like, what a role requires, look at the people who have held it the longest. What do they seem to have in common with each other? These are the people who have "survived" this role (Especially if it's a constantly rehiring job like camp) they are the ones that have "what it takes" even if it's not what management wants. And remember what it takes to "succeed" is not the same as what it takes to "survive," but I would say in less you are hoping to climb the ladder fast, what good is having what it takes to do that if you can't survive? Also the vets (as in those who have been there longer, not former military) are going to have a powerful impact on the culture.
Here's my two cents. If you are management and you want to change the culture start with your vets. I don't mean get rid of them, that's not likely to solve your problem. They're in a sense a product of their environment, Pay attention to them what do they have in common. Also listen to them, if you're new they most likely know way more, at least with regards to culture. You want a bunch of team players but the only people who seem to stick around are loners? There's probably a reason, and the vets might even be able to tell you.
I'd also say for anyone just getting a job look for the person who's been there in the position the longest. Are they a loner? a team player? teasing? straightlaced? guarded? open? cheerful? sullen? Do you think you can thrive in an environment with that energy? Also what they do is going to tell you a lot about what is allowed or not, what is encouraged or not, what is ignored or not. Are the vets forever coming in late? I'm not saying you shouldn't be punctual, but maybe beating yourself up over being two minutes late that one time, isn't necessary. On the other hand if the vets are always coming in five minutes early, maybe making sure punctuality is top priority is a good call.
