Culture and Work Space

Understanding Organizational Ethos

Understanding an organisation's ethos aids in defining the identity of the organization. Organizational culture differs from one organization to the next, and also from one country to the next. Any company has the freedom to organise itself in the manner that it sees fit for success. Congdon and Gall identify different dimensions of layout the office space can take depending on the culture of the country in which the company is located in their book.

The Autocratic Office Style

Congdon and Gall (2013) defined the autocratic dimension as one of the dimensions. The autocratic office style is distinguished by limited coordination and teamwork among the levels of authority. In Russia, for instance, organizations emphasize the importance of teamwork among the employees (Congdon and Gall 34). However, there is a high rate of segregation among the departments evident from the office design and spacing. The employees have minimal access to the superiors.

The Importance of Culture in an Organization

It is important to understand differences in culture in the organization since the beliefs, ideologies and the principles that form the culture of an organization determine the success of a business organization. It is the organizational culture that controls the behavior of the employees both within and outside the organization (Schein 7). Keeping a healthy culture helps in motivating employees, making them work towards the achievement of organizational goals. The culture of the organization also helps unite various cultures.

Impact of Office Design on Organizational Culture

Office design can change or promote the existing culture of the business. This relates to architecture, furnishing, and the design of the interiors. It is thus important to select an office that would help promote the culture of a company while at the same not violating the laws of the nations as well as the beliefs of individual employees. Culture is the only tool that makes an organization unique because unlike products and services, it can never be duplicated.

Work cited

Congdon, Christine, and Catherine Gall. Vision Statement: How Culture Shapes the Office. Harvard Business, 2013.

Schein, Edgar. "Relationship between Organizational Culture, Leadership Behavior and Job Satisfaction." Organizational culture and leadership, vol. 2, 2010, pp. 7-10.