Organizational Culture

Organizational Culture

Organizational culture is a combination of values, beliefs, ways and underlying assumptions that give a contribution psychological and the unique social environment of a given organization (Schein, 2010). The culture entails the rules that have been developed for a given period of time and considered valid. They include the shared attitudes, rules that have been written and unwritten, beliefs and customs. The values are very important on the behavior because they have the very strong influence on the people's dressing, the performance of jobs and acting. Also, the organizations have the capability of developing a unique culture that is responsible for the provision of guidelines and boundaries for members’ behavior.

Artifacts in Organizational Culture

The main six artifacts that are available in the organizational culture include values, vision, practices, people, narrative, and place (Rucci, 1998). Firstly, vision gives the company its purpose and guidance. In turn, the purpose orients the decisions made by the employees. In cases where there are good visions, the stakeholders, customers and suppliers can also be oriented. Hence, a vision statement is regarded as the foundational element of culture regardless of its simplicity. On the other hand, there are values which are the core drivers of a company. It gives a guideline on the behaviors and mindsets that are required for the achievement of the vision (Ackerman, 2010). For instance, McKinsey & Company has expressed the set of values that the employees should use in the service of their clients, to uphold the professional standards and treatment of fellow colleagues. There are also the practices which are very vital because the visions are less powerful without the accompaniment of the practices (Rohit, 1989). By that, the organizations should be ready to invest in people through visible ways.

Importance of People, Narrative, and Place

Moreover, there is a big need for a company to have people who share and are also capable of embracing the core values. According to Ellis (2010), he quotes that the best firms are “fanatical about recruiting new employees who are not just the most talented but also the best suited to a particular corporate culture.” He also added that people bring the right cultures and stick with the cultures they like. Furtherly, every organization has its own unique narrative (story). For example, the Coca-Cola company dedicated a big resource in celebrating its own heritage (Howell, 2000). Lastly, there is the artifact of place. The latter impacts on the behaviors and different values of individuals in the workplace. For instance, the local cultures that are available in certain cities and countries may contradict or reinforce a certain culture that a firm is trying to make.

Tips for Strengthening Organizational Culture

There are four main tips for strengthening or improving the organizational culture (Ouchy, 1983). First, cultivate the employee relationships. There is increase effective communication due to strong relationships at workplace. It can be embraced by the formation of small group dinners and team building activities aimed at employees getting to know each other better. Companies should also ready to invest in employee perks. For example, Google gives its employees perks such as mid-day gym classes whereas Facebook offers on-site healthcare. Rewarding of the employees on good performance is also encouraging because of its acts as a motivation (Whitten, 2008). It can be in form of gifts basket or card and day off with pay. An organization should also be mindful of burnout because it can lead to the creation of toxic culture.

The Socialization Process

The socialization process of new employees takes place in stages. The first is the pre-arrival stage that contains all that one has learned about the company prior to joining (Talya, 2007). It is joined with the selection process that deals with choosing of individuals that nicely fit the culture of the company. Moreover, the encounter stage is where the new employee's expectations are able to meet the job reality. In cases where the expectations don't match with the reality, then the socialization methods are used instead (Howard, 2000). The methods are rituals, language, stories and material symbols.

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