Organizational Culture - Video Recap

An organization's culture can never be considered perfect because it is constantly changing and evolving. Culture is not something that can be achieved and then maintained indefinitely. It is influenced by various factors such as new employees, changes in leadership, market conditions, and societal trends. As the organization grows and adapts to these changes, its culture will naturally evolve as well. Therefore, it is unrealistic to expect a perfect culture as it is a dynamic and ongoing process.

When diagnosing the organization's current culture, it is important to look at practices and behaviors. This is because practices and behaviors reflect the values, norms, and beliefs that are embedded in the organization's culture. By observing how employees behave and the practices they engage in, one can gain insights into the organization's culture and understand its impact on employee behavior and overall performance. This information can then be used to identify areas for improvement or alignment with the desired culture.

Organizational culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, and behaviors that shape the way individuals within an organization interact and work together. It encompasses the collective behaviors of individuals within the organization and influences the overall atmosphere and work environment. This includes how employees communicate, make decisions, solve problems, and collaborate with each other. Organizational culture is not determined by the geographic location of the workplace, organizational procedures, manuals, or dress codes, as these factors are more superficial details that may vary across different organizations.

Resistance to change is likely to cause the greatest hindrance during a time of cultural change in an organization. When a company undergoes cultural change, there will inevitably be individuals or groups who are resistant to the new ideas, processes, or values being introduced. This resistance can stem from various reasons such as fear of the unknown, attachment to old ways, or concerns about personal impact. Overcoming resistance to change requires effective communication, leadership, and addressing the concerns and fears of those affected.

The proper way to use incentives is to create intrinsic motivation from colleagues acknowledgment and respect. This means that instead of using threats or rewards, the focus should be on fostering a positive work environment where employees feel valued and appreciated for their contributions. By acknowledging and respecting their efforts, it helps to create a sense of motivation and drive within individuals, leading to improved performance and productivity.

To effectively communicate culture change, it is important to use multiple communication channels and communicate multiple times. This approach ensures that the message reaches a wider audience and increases the chances of understanding and acceptance. By using different channels such as emails, meetings, presentations, and newsletters, the information can reach diverse groups within the organization. Additionally, communicating multiple times ensures that the message is reinforced and allows for any potential misunderstandings or confusion to be addressed. This approach helps to create a consistent and clear understanding of the culture change, leading to a smoother transition.

To define the actual to desired culture, management needs to avoid ambiguity by clearly understanding and articulating the organization's culture. They should diagnose the existing culture to identify any gaps between the current and desired culture. It is important for management to be aware of both the intangible aspects (values, beliefs) and tangible aspects (policies, procedures) of culture. Additionally, they should also consider the presence of subcultures within the organization that may influence the overall culture. Therefore, all of the above options are necessary for management to define the actual to desired culture.

To ensure that an organization communicates a clear and consistent culture, HR policies and procedures play a crucial role. These policies and procedures provide guidelines and expectations for employees, helping to shape and reinforce the desired culture. Additionally, the work environment, including the physical space and organizational practices, should align with the intended culture. Quarterly management meetings are also important as they provide a platform for leaders to communicate and reinforce the organization's values and culture to the entire team.

Subcultures within an organization may have their own set of values, beliefs, and norms that may differ from the overall organizational culture. This can create a conflict between the subculture and the stated organizational culture, leading to a lack of consistency and credibility. If subcultures are allowed to flourish without alignment with the organizational culture, it can undermine the effectiveness of the organization and its ability to achieve its goals. As a result, subcultures could pose a threat to the credibility of the firm's stated organizational culture.

In a start-up company that has been operating for 1-3 months, the ideas of culture are likely to be fragmented. This means that there is no clear or unified understanding of what the company's culture should be like. Different individuals within the company may have their own ideas and beliefs about the culture, leading to a lack of cohesion. As the company is still in its early stages, departments may be trying to integrate their own ideas of culture, but there is no established or cohesive culture yet. Subcultures may also be forming as different departments differentiate themselves from each other.