Work culture varies with every company. As per the study we can say, how much impact a strong culture can have on people within the organization as well as the people who come in contact with it.
It is important to have an insight into how to identify a company’s work culture as it affects various aspects of professional and personal growth.
What is Company Culture?
Company culture encompasses a variety of elements including shared values, work environment, company mission, leadership style, ethics, expectations, and goals. It gives a comprehensive understanding of how the organization functions and what is expected of every individual.
How Does It Work?
The key to a successful company is to have a company culture based on a strongly held and widely shared set of beliefs that are supported by strategy and structure. When a company has a strong culture, three things happen: employees know how top management wants them to plan, act, and what roles they play in the organization. It also helps them understand the opportunities that are available to them and how to navigate their tasks in that particular organization.
Some company prefers team-based open culture, it gives a more casual workplace where employees have more opportunities and additional roles. It creates a cohesive environment without limiting itself to a set structure or pattern. There is more opportunity to pursue different skills.
There are other businesses where traditional and formal hierarchical management is followed. This style has clear roles and responsibilities defined but it’s more process-oriented and might limit the opportunity to advance without going through formal promotion or transfer. While this limits the employee to a certain type of task, one can expand their knowledge in one field through experience and guidance.
How Do Identify a Company’s Culture?
The company’s website often has descriptions of its mission and vision, and values they believe in. Some websites also have testimonials from employees, which can be a way to hear about culture first-hand.
There are quite a few websites where employees provide reviews and ratings of companies, they are part of. These websites include glassdoor, google reviews, etc., where the anonymous feedback will be helpful.
To gain more insight you can ask questions during the hiring process. You can also ask about particular considerations that are important for you, such as the amount of independent work vs. teamwork if the company believes in values that should align with the goals you value. These may include an inclusive environment if their mission is to create a positive impact on society or the environment etc.
Why is a Healthy Work Culture Important?
When you spend more time per week at work than at home, it’s natural to want to work in an environment you enjoy spending your time. For employers, it is one of the ways to encourage loyalty organically, amongst other things.
A good work culture provides everyone with the equal opportunity to initiate change and to grow on a professional and personal aspect. It directly drives individual development and productivity on which company growth relies.
To put it simply, the work culture is a reflection of the organization’s beliefs and its outlook toward its employees. It also ensures that the employees are working towards one vision and helps an organization match their vision with that of its employees.
A Leader’s Role in Shaping Work Culture
There are so many practices around work and the corporate culture that works out for some companies but won’t be a suitable option for all. I believe every leader should learn from previous experiences, observe and adapt to improve, and create positive work culture. It may seem like a daunting task to tackle, but there is good news: changing work culture may be one of the most impactful actions you can take for long-term business improvement. It gives your management a platform to structure their work and to define work policies.
Here are some work culture practices that I have observed create a positive impact on the organization’s growth-
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- Smooth processes for employee onboarding and releases, as it’s the first impression that a company can make from a candidate’s perspective.
- Make company expectations loud and clear by creating a structure to support and reinforce the company’s values.
- Acknowledgment plays an important role. Congratulate and recognize those team members who demonstrate positive work habits.
- Provide open opportunities instead of role-based tasks. Create an employee ownership mentality that allows the opinions of others to be heard. That will feed creativity and outcomes will surprise you.
- Set a system to measure team visibility so as to guide poor performers and praise hard workers. Create employee satisfaction, management, development models.
Conclusion:
So, is Company Culture worth fussing over? My unqualified yet experienced answer is “Absolutely”. A positive culture is win-win for both employee and employer’s growth.