Organizational Culture Creates the Employee Mindset.
Organizational or corporate culture is the pattern of values, norms, beliefs, attitudes and assumptions that may not have been articulated but shape the ways in which people in organizations behave and things get done. ‘Values’ refer to what is believed to be important about how people and organizations behave. ‘Norms’ are the unwritten rules of behavior (Armstrong and Taylor ,2014).
Some other definitions of organizational culture:
· A strong culture is a system of informal rules that spells out how people are to behave most of the time. (Deal and Kennedy, 2000: 15)
· The culture of an organization refers to the unique configuration of norms, values, beliefs and ways of behaving that characterize the manner in which groups and individuals combine to get things done. (Eldridge and Crombie, 1974: 89)
· Organizational culture offers a shared system of meanings that is the basis for communications and mutual understanding. (Furnham and Gunter, 1993: 70–71)
· Culture
is a pattern of basic assumptions – invented, discovered or developed by a
given group as it learns to cope with the problems of external adaptation and
internal integration – that has worked well enough to be considered valid and,
therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think
and feel in relation to these problems. (Schein, 1990: 110)
The components of culture
Organizational culture can be described in terms of
values, norms, artefacts and management or leadership style behavior (Armstrong
and Taylor ,2014).
Values
are beliefs in what is best or good for the organization and what should or
ought to happen. The ‘value set’ of an organization may only be recognized at
top level, or it may be shared throughout the business, in which case the
business could be described as value driven.
The stronger the values the more they will
influence behavior. This does not depend upon their having been articulated.
Implicit values that are deeply embedded in the culture of an organization and
are reinforced by the behavior of management can be influential, while espoused
values that are mere rhetoric and are not reflected in managerial behavior may
have little or no effect. When values are acted on, they are called ‘values in
use’.
Norms are the
unwritten rules of behavior, the ‘rules of the game’ that provide informal
guidelines on how to behave. Norms tell people what they are supposed to be
doing, saying, believing, even wearing. They are never expressed in writing –
if they were, they would be policies or procedures. They are passed on by word
of mouth or behavior and can be enforced by the reactions of people if they are
violated. They can exert very powerful pressure on behavior because of these
reactions – we control others by the way we react to them.
Artefacts are
the visible and tangible aspects of an organization that people hear, see or
feel and which contribute to their understanding of the organization’s culture.
Artefacts can include such things as the working environment, the tone and
language used in e-mails, letters or memoranda, the manner in which people
address each other at meetings or over the telephone, the welcome (or lack of
welcome) given to visitors and the way in which receptionists deal with outside
calls. Artefacts can be very revealing
The approach managers use to deal with people –
their management or leadership style
–
is a significant part of the culture of an organization. Management style can
be described in terms of the following extremes:
charismatic ↔ non-charismatic
autocratic ↔ democratic
controller ↔ enabler
transactional ↔ transformational
Most managers adopt an approach somewhere between
the extremes. Some will vary it according to the situation or their feelings at
the time; others will stick to the same style whatever happens. Every manager
has his or her own style but this will be influenced by the organizational
culture, which may produce a prevailing management style that represents a behavioral
norm for managers that is generally expected and adopted.
Appropriate cultures
It is not possible to say that one culture is
better than another, only that a culture is to a greater or lesser extent
appropriate in the sense that it is relevant to the needs and circumstances of
the organization and helps rather than hinders its performance. However,
embedded cultures can exert considerable influence on organizational behavior. If
there is an appropriate and effective culture it would therefore be desirable
to take steps to support
or reinforce it. If the culture is inappropriate attempts should be made to
determine what needs to be changed and to develop and implement plans for
change. A culture will be more effective if it is consistent in its components
and shared amongst organizational members, and if it makes the organization
unique, thus differentiating it from other organizations (Armstrong
and Taylor ,2014).
Conclusion
Organizational culture is an important factor, in
which it has a firm influence on employees’ mindset. It is likely for such
employees to adopt these values as their own mindset if they exist within a
culture that gives priority to certain values, such as innovation,
collaboration or customer satisfaction. Employees tend to adjust their behavior
with what is acceptable and rewarded by the organizational culture through
behavioral expectations that encourage risk taking, transparency and work life
balance. A good company culture generates a sense of affiliation and belonging
among employees. The way leaders act themselves within the organization
influences how employees perceive and interpret cultural values.
Organizational culture affects decision making and problem-solving strategies of employees. A good organizational culture can increase levels of employee engagement and satisfaction. When people feel purposefulness of their contribution in general, plus autonomy about getting things done within that framework, along with recognition are motivators.
Organizational Culture in Fact does Play a Big Role
in Shaping Employee’s Mindsets.
It builds upon the mindset of the personnel by
fostering an environment that enables them to think creatively while on duty.
Thus, it creates a great impetus for all workers who
try to attain improved performance thus leading to high profitability in
general aspect.
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S. (2014) Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice. 13th ed. KoganPage.
Deal, T and Kennedy, A (2000) Corporate Cultures, New York, Perseus Books
Eldridge, J and Crombie, A (1974) The Sociology of Organizations, London, Allen & Unwin
Furnham, A and Gunter, B (1993) Corporate Assessment, London, Routledge
Kineo Courses (2020) Positive Workplace Culture [video]. Available from https://youtu.be/_akanzNG30g [Accessed on 06 April 2024]
Mentor Global Consultants (2018) How to Create a Positive Organizational Culture [video]. Available from https://youtu.be/X08rK3P5_c8 [Accessed on 06 April 2024]
Sanjay Agrawal (2018) Customer Success Vs Customer Obsession [image]. Available from https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C5612AQHcLj_25GfYtg/article-cover_image-shrink_600_2000/0/1532306626348?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=IG2c8INaTB-yyNXH1wU880HmHr7Zx3SYn-_9uIn1b-Q [Accessed on 06 April 2024]
Schein, E H (1990) Organizational culture, American Psychologist, 45, pp 109–19
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Very informative article. Also a positive and inclusive corporate culture promotes a mentality that is aligned with the company's vision and values, committed to excellence, and gives employees a sense of belonging.
ReplyDeleteYes, organizational culture gives employees a sense of belonging, and negative factors in the same origination will affect the employee's mindset.
DeleteYes that is so critical Organizational culture significantly influences employees' mindsets, influencing their behavior and decision-making strategies. what we understand is that A culture that prioritizes values like innovation, collaboration, and customer satisfaction encourages risk-taking, transparency, and work-life balance.
ReplyDeleteTrue as u said A good company culture fosters a sense of belonging and purpose among employees. A positive organizational culture increases employee engagement and satisfaction, motivating them to strive for improved performance and higher profitability.
Definitely, the factors will be directly and indirectly affected by both organizations and individuals.
DeleteGood article, Amila. It made me think though that a strong organizational cultural can also have its own pitfalls such as some cultures within a company become stiff and change resistant. I worked in a hotel once where they were against progress because it didn't suit their company culture. I've also seen issues with exclusion and homogeneity come up and where employees feel pressured to submit to the particular company culture etc. It does tend to conflict at times with one's personal values and beliefs. It would be interesting to see therefore how HR can counter this strategically.
ReplyDeleteWhile thanking for shared personal experiences herewith, the organizational culture is one of the main factors in determining the job satisfaction level of the employees and the working environment based on their own attitudes.
DeleteThe organization's culture can be both beneficial and detrimental when it comes to the management of human resources. This is a very informative summary, but it is important to note that it is clear. When it comes to human resource professionals and companies, a negative culture can give rise to a variety of issues. On the other hand, a positive culture has the power to attract and retain brilliant personnel.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is important to maintain a positive culture in organizations to achieve organizational objectives while creating a great work environment for the employees.
DeleteGood topic Amila. The organization culture creates the employee mindset by shaping their values, beliefs, norms, communication patterns, adaptability, leadership behavior, and overall experience within the company. A strong and positive culture can foster a mindset that aligns with the organization's goals, values, and long-term success.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, the organizational culture creates the employee mindset in both positive and negative ways, according to the existing culture.
DeleteWorkplace culture is vital in attracting, engaging, and retaining valuable talent. Companies with the most successful cultures are much more likely to include professional development, business process, mindset, succession planning, and team-building activities than others. Further, companies with best-in-class cultures are 3x more likely to focus on mindset than others in their performance management initiatives.
ReplyDeleteA good point to discuss is that when identifying the importance of the oppositive culture, organizations will be tempted to focus on mindsets that will automatically affect their performances.
DeleteCorrect , The leadership styles and qualities also affected the organizational culture.
ReplyDeleteA good point to discuss is that when identifying the importance of the oppositive culture, organizations will be tempted to focus on mindsets that will automatically affect their performances.
ReplyDeleteMost important points you have discussed in this article. Positive culture creates the positive mind set and with positive mindset increase the employee productivity. But when it comes to opposite side employee turn over will be started and organization need to start invest money on new recruitments. So, I believe company culture matters the most on keeping the top talents at the company without loosing them.
ReplyDeleteYou've pointed out an important observation. A strong company culture not only increases efficiency but also helps to keep valuable employees, leading to long-term resource savings. It is truly fundamental to the success of an organization. Thank You
DeleteInformative article. Positive culture always a plus point for any organization.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! A positive culture is indeed a valuable asset for any organization.
DeleteOrganization Culture creates very much good working environment for employees. It's depend on the way of the culture which operated in the workplace.
ReplyDeleteOne important aspect to consider is that when recognizing the significance of a different culture, organizations may be inclined to concentrate on attitudes that will naturally impact their effectiveness.
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