1. EXPERT ADVICE
Viewing an effective
organization
An aligned vision within an organization
results to higher employee metrics
By Nicola Turner
Special to Jobs & Careers
O
rganizational culture refers to the shared values and practices
of the organization’s employees. According to several studies,
organizations with an adaptive culture that is aligned to their
business goals regularly outperform their competitors. It is important
for organizations to define their company culture or decide what it
should be, and then move employees toward the desired culture.
Individuals blithely use the term culture; however, it is important
to really understand it within an organizational context. Three levels
of culture have been suggested by a leading psychologist in this field,
EdgarSchein.Theseincludeunderstandingvisibleartifactsortangible
objects (e.g., dress code, furniture), beliefs and values (e.g., how the
members represent the organization both to themselves and to others)
and basic underlying assumptions (taken for granted behaviors).
Onmanylevels,thisconceptisusefultotakeintoaccountforleaders,
current employees, the selection of new employees and those looking
tojoinanorganization.Itisimperativeforanorganizationtorecognize
the company culture and align the culture to business goals to avoid
conflicts. According to studies, when current employees and leaders
have aligned visions of the organization, employee metrics such as
satisfaction and commitment are marked higher. Understanding if the
company resonates with the future employees’ own beliefs and goals
is important not only in terms of satisfaction but also in terms of work
engagement, productivity and longevity within the company.
Organizational culture is essentially the personality of a company
and defines what a company stands for from an employee standpoint.
It is important to note that there is no such thing as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’
culture, for example, some companies favor a more casual working
environment versus a formal one. What matters is the alignment
between the company culture and business goals.
The writer is an Organizational Psychologist of HRI&C
Handy Hints
• Understand the company culture using available information
• Actively learn as much about a company’s culture, style, values
• Leaders should align the company culture to its business goals
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