The successful functioning of an organization depends on the effort put by each employee. Each individual has to contribute his level best to accomplish the tasks within the desired time frame.

Every organization has a unique style of working which is often called its culture. The beliefs, policies, principles, ideologies of an organization form its culture.

The culture of the organization is nothing but the outcome of the interaction among the employees working for quite some time. The behaviour of the individual with his fellow workers as well as external parties forms the culture.

The management style of dealing with the employees in its own way also contributes to the culture of the organization.

Employees working for a considerable amount of time in any particular organization tend to make certain rules and follow some policies as per their convenience and mutual understanding. Such policies and procedures practised by the employees for a long time to make the workplace a happier place form the culture.

The culture often gives the employees a sense of direction at the workplace.

Organization culture however can never be constant. It changes with time.

Let us understand the concept with the help of an example.

Organization A was a well-known event management firm. Tom, Sandra, Peter and Jack represented the management. All the four were in their mid-thirties and thus emphasized on hiring young talent. No wonders this organization followed a youth culture. The employees were aggressive, on their toes and eager to do something innovative always.

The organization followed a macho culture where the employees performing exceptionally well were appreciated and rewarded suitably. Appraisals and promotions came in no time and feedbacks were quick. The management also encouraged in formal get-togethers, dinners to bring the employees closer and increase the comfort level.

After proving their mettle for quite some years, Tom, Sandra and Peter decided to move on for better opportunities. Tim, Maria, Sara all in their fifties stepped into their shoes and took the charge along with Jack, the only member left from the previous team. They did not somehow approve the previous style of working. They brought their own people from their previous organizations and thus caused problems for the existing employees.

The management strongly supported punctuality and did not quite promote parties; get-togethers at workplace. There were no feedbacks or rewards. The employees lacked enthusiasm and never bothered to do something innovative.

Is there any change in the work culture ?

A change in the management changed the entire style of working.

Reasons for changes in work culture

• A new management, a new team leader, a new boss brings a change in the organization culture. A new employee but obvious would have new ideas, concepts and try his level best to implement them. He would want the employees to work according to him. His style of working, behaviour and ideologies would definitely bring a change in the work culture.

• Financial loss, bankruptcy, market fluctuations also lead to change in the work culture of the organization. When an organization runs into losses, it fails to give rewards and appraisals to the employees as it used to give earlier.

• Acquiring new clients might cause a change in the work culture. The employees might have to bring about a change in their style of working to meet the expectations of the new clients.

• The employees on their own might realize that they need to bring a change in their attitude, perception and style of working to achieve the targets at a much faster rate. Such self-realization also changes the work culture.

An organization is a setup where individuals (employees) come together to work for a common goal.

It is essential for the employees to work in close coordination, deliver their level bests and achieve the targets within the stipulated time frame for the smooth functioning of the organization.

Every organization has certain values and follows some policies and guidelines which differentiate it from others. The principles and beliefs of any organization form its culture.

The organization culture decides the way employees interact amongst themselves as well as external parties. No two organizations can have the same culture and it is essential for the employees to adjust well in their organization’s culture to enjoy their work and stay stress-free.

Several models have been proposed till date explaining the organization culture, one of them being the Charles Handy model.

Who is Charles Handy?

Charles Handy born in 1932 in Ireland is a well-known philosopher who has specialized in organization culture.

According to Charles Handy’s model, there are four types of culture which the organizations follow. Let us understand them in detail:

1. Power

   There are some organizations where the power remains in the hands of only few people and only they are authorized to take decisions.

   They are the ones who enjoy special privileges at the workplace. They are the most important people at the workplace and are the major decision makers. These individuals further delegate responsibilities to the other employees.

   In such a culture the subordinates have no option but to strictly follow their superior’s instructions.

   The employees do not have the liberty to express their views or share their ideas on an open forum and have to follow what their superior says.

   The managers in such a type of culture sometimes can be partial to someone or the other leading to major unrest among others.

2. Task Culture

   Organizations where teams are formed to achieve the targets or solve critical problems follow the task culture. In such organizations individuals with common interests and specializations come together to form a team.

   There are generally four to five members in each team. In such a culture every team member has to contribute equally and accomplish tasks in the most innovative way.

3. Person Culture

   There are certain organizations where the employees feel that they are more important than their organization. Such organizations follow a culture known as person culture. In a person culture, individuals are more concerned about their own self rather than the organization.

   The organization in such a culture takes a back seat and eventually suffers.

   Employees just come to the office for the sake of money and never get attached to it. They are seldom loyal towards the management and never decide in favour of the organization. One should always remember that organization comes first and everything else later.

4. Role culture

   Role culture is a culture where every employee is delegated roles and responsibilities according to his specialization, educational qualification and interest to extract the best out of him.

   In such a culture employees decide what best they can do and willingly accept the challenge.

   Every individual is accountable for something or the other and has to take ownership of the work assigned to him. Power comes with responsibility in such a work culture.

There are several reasons which lead to a change in the organization culture. Change in management, poor financial conditions, revisions in goals and targets bring a change in the culture of the organization.

Accepting changes in the work culture is the toughest thing to do for an employee. Not all employees can happily adapt to organizational changes.

Employees need time to cope up with a new culture. Miracles can’t happen overnight and habits do not change all of a sudden. The employees must spend some time to understand and adjust to the new culture.

One should work with an open mind and willingly accept things. Don’t always crib as it leads to no solution. The employees must try their level best to accept the changes with a smile and work accordingly. One should never be in a rush. The management must also give time to the employees for them to gel with the new culture. Don’t pressurize anyone to accept changes all of a sudden.

The employees must design new strategies, new plan of actions and policies to meet the new challenges. Try to find out the exact reasons for the change. The ideas which were successful earlier might now fall out of place. One should not be adamant. Sit with your team leader, discuss all possible options and try to implement something which would work best in the new culture and benefit you as well as your organization.

An employee must change his behaviour and thought process as per the culture. It is essential to be flexible. Being adaptable at the workplace always pays in the long run. Remember everything happens for the best. One should always try to look at the positive aspects of life rather than cribbing on things which are beyond anyone’s control.

Janet worked with an organization of repute. Her organization followed a culture where the employees never reached office on time. There were no strict rules and regulations for the employees. Janet found her work culture very comfortable as there was no pressure on her to reach work on time.

Very soon her organization hired someone from its competitor to take charge of the organization. He made several changes in the work culture, the first and the foremost being fixed timings for all the emloyees.Everyone irrespective of the designation had to reach office on time. All the employees had to adhere to the guidelines and policies of the organization.

Condition A

Janet found it very difficult to adjust to the new culture. She could not accept the sudden change in the work culture, cribbed amongst her fellow workers and found her work as a burden.

Condition B

Janet happily accepted the change and tried her level best to adjust to it.She was intelligent enough to understand that after all the change was for the benefit of the organization. She got up little early everyday and reached office on time. She gave her best everyday and won the appreciation of her superiors as well as the management.

Which situation do you feel is better ?

Obviously Situation B

One should always remember that a little change in one’s behaviour can make the organization a better place to work.

Few tips to adjust to the changing organization culture.

• Give time to adjust
• Be flexible
• Work with an open mind
• Never crib
• Look at the positive side
• Develop alternate plans
• Don’t get too attached to someone at the workplace

Let us understand the various types of organization culture:

1. Normative Culture: In such a culture, the norms and procedures of the organization are predefined and the rules and regulations are set as per the existing guidelines. The employees behave in an ideal way and strictly adhere to the policies of the organization. No employee dares to break the rules and sticks to the already laid policies.

2. Pragmatic Culture: In a pragmatic culture, more emphasis is placed on the clients and the external parties. Customer satisfaction is the main motive of the employees in a pragmatic culture. Such organizations treat their clients as Gods and do not follow any set rules. Every employee strives hard to satisfy his clients to expect maximum business from their side.

3. Academy Culture: Organizations following academy culture hire skilled individuals. The roles and responsibilities are delegated according to the back ground, educational qualification and work experience of the employees. Organizations following academy culture are very particular about training the existing employees. They ensure that various training programmes are being conducted at the workplace to hone the skills of the employees. The management makes sincere efforts to upgrade the knowledge of the employees to improve their professional competence. The employees in an academy culture stick to the organization for a longer duration and also grow within it. Educational institutions, universities, hospitals practice such a culture.

4. Baseball team Culture: A baseball team culture considers the employees as the most treasured possession of the organization. The employees are the true assets of the organization who have a major role in its successful functioning. In such a culture, the individuals always have an upper edge and they do not bother much about their organization. Advertising agencies, event management companies, financial institutions follow such a culture.

5. Club Culture: Organizations following a club culture are very particular about the employees they recruit. The individuals are hired as per their specialization, educational qualification and interests. Each one does what he is best at. The high potential employees are promoted suitably and appraisals are a regular feature of such a culture.

6. Fortress Culture: There are certain organizations where the employees are not very sure about their career and longevity. Such organizations follow fortress culture. The employees are terminated if the organization is not performing well. Individuals suffer the most when the organization is at a loss. Stock broking industries follow such a culture.

7. Tough Guy Culture: In a tough guy culture, feedbacks are essential. The performance of the employees is reviewed from time to time and their work is thoroughly monitored. Team managers are appointed to discuss queries with the team members and guide them whenever required. The employees are under constant watch in such a culture.

8. Bet your company Culture: Organizations which follow bet your company culture take decisions which involve a huge amount of risk and the consequences are also unforeseen. The principles and policies of such an organization are formulated to address sensitive issues and it takes time to get the results.

9. Process Culture: As the name suggests the employees in such a culture adhere to the processes and procedures of the organization. Feedbacks and performance reviews do not matter much in such organizations. The employees abide by the rules and regulations and work according to the ideologies of the workplace. All government organizations follow such a culture.

Organization culture reflects the working conditions, behaviour of employees, their thought processes, beliefs and so on. Organization culture in a layman’s language is often called as work culture and plays an essential role in extracting the best out of employees.

Work culture needs to be healthy for employees not only to enjoy their work but also deliver their level best and develop a feeling of loyalty and attachment towards their respective organizations.

Let us go through the threats to organization culture:

Negative attitude and ego are in fact two biggest threats to organization culture. Individuals who find it difficult to look at the brighter sides of life often crib and complain and spoil the entire work culture. They themselves hardly work and on top of it also influence others.

Problems are in fact everywhere. Can you name one organization where there is absolutely no tension or stress? Believe me, you would find peculiar characters in every organization. You just need to know how to deal with them.

How many organizations would you change? Employees who think that fighting is the only solution to solve issues are sadly mistaken and in fact pose a major threat to organization culture. Remember, strikes, unions, mass bunking not only spoil the organization culture but also bring a bad name to the organization. Develop a positive attitude and learn to ignore things if you really want your organization to do well and outshine its competitors.

There is no place of ego at workplace. Employees who carry their ego to work find it difficult to adjust with their fellow workers eventually affecting the work culture. In today’s business scenario, people expect you to drop “Sir”, “Maam” or “Boss” attached to a name in both written as well as verbal communication.

Corporate culture gives you the liberty to address individuals by their first names only irrespective of position and age. Now, there are some individuals who would really not appreciate their juniors calling them by their names.

You need to understand that there is nothing which is more important than your work and output. No individual would like to work in an environment where juniors are not treated with respect and care. Would you ever like to leave an organization where all employees are treated as one? Ask yourself.

Favouritism is another big threat to work culture. Problems arise the moment you start giving special treatments to few employees. Do not favour someone just because he/she is your friend or you like the other person. Such behaviour is absolutely unacceptable and unethical. Favouritism not only spoils the work culture but also demotivates those who genuinely want to work and carve a niche for themselves. Employees who work hard need to be motivated and appreciated irrespective of their position in the hierarchy.

Lack of communication among employees is another major problem faced by organizations. Employees need to communicate with each other to discuss work, various issues and also reach to innovative solutions. Employees need to work as a single unit for better results. Bosses need to communicate effectively with their team members. Do not always expect your secretary to pass on information to your subordinates on your behalf. Let employees feel special. Treat them as indispensable resources of the organization.

Individuals taking their organizations for granted also spoil the work culture. You need to genuinely feel for your organization. A feeling of loyalty is essential. Don’t work for anyone else but for yourself and obviously your organization. Things would never improve unless and until employees take pride in representing their respective organizations.

A common platform where individuals from different backgrounds, mentalities, educational qualifications, interests and attitudes come together to work towards a goal as well as earn bread and butter for themselves is called an organization. Every organization has a unique style of working often called its culture.

Culture – The ideologies, beliefs and policies of an organization form its culture.

It is essential for the employees to adjust well in the culture of the organization for them to deliver their level best. However it has been observed that in certain cases the employees might find themselves in trouble whenever there is a change in the work culture. The work culture instead of giving the employees a sense of direction might become a burden for them. The first and the foremost problem which arises out of a set work culture is adjustment.

Setbacks of an organization culture

• The culture of an organization is not formed in a single day. A culture is the cumulative outcome of the interaction amongst the employees and their behavioural patterns at the workplace. A culture is formed when individuals follow certain values and adhere to guidelines over a considerable period of time. Problems arise when new employees step into the shoes of the existing ones and take charge. They bring new ideas, new plan of actions and new concepts along with them and thus cause problems for the existing employees. They tend to hire their own people and eventually side-line the current employees.

• Adjustment problems arise when new joinees find it difficult to adjust to the prevailing work culture. They find it difficult to concentrate and tend to lose interest in work. For them the work becomes a burden and they simply attend office to earn money. They never get attached to their workplace.

• Culture in certain cases can also become a liability to an organization. Strict policies and harsh rules can sometimes create problems for the employees and they find it difficult to stick to the organization for a long time. Retaining the employee becomes a nightmare in cases of weak cultures. The policies must be employee friendly and benefit one and all. An organization where male employees dominate the female counterparts follow a culture where late sitting is a regular feature. Male individuals might find this kind of culture extremely comfortable but a female employee would not be able to adjust well in such a culture. The youngsters would have a problem in organizations where the older generation decides the policies and forms the culture.

• An individual working in any particular culture for quite some time would develop certain habits and mindset. It is not easy to get rid of a habit all of sudden. Difficulties arise whenever employees wish to move on for better opportunities. The new organization might not promise them the same facilities and comforts which their previous organization offered. The incentive plan in this organization might not be as lucrative as it was in the previous organization.

  Example: Janet worked with an organization where the employees had the liberty to reach office as per their convenience. Her current organization followed a strict culture where the management was particular about the work timings, hence causing problems for Janet as she was used to flexible timings.

• An employee finds it difficult to implement new ideas and concepts in a culture which has been practised for several years. For him the culture becomes a limitation, where he has to work as per the set guidelines and predefined policies.

• One should always remember that no culture is more important than employees. They are the true assets of an organization. The work culture should never bind the employees to do something innovative.

The beliefs, ideologies and practices of an organization form its culture which gives a sense of direction to the employees. The work culture goes a long way in creating the brand image of the organization and making it distinct from its competitors.

The employees are the true assets of an organization. They are the ones who contribute effectively towards the successful functioning of an organization. They strive hard to deliver their level best and achieve the assigned targets within the stipulated time frame.

The employees play an important role in deciding the culture of the workplace. Their behaviour, attitude and interest at the workplace form the culture.

Let us understand how employees affect the work culture.

Please go through the below cases:

1. Organization A

   The employees are least bothered about the policies of the organization and attend work just to sustain their job. For them the workplace is nothing but a mere source of earning money. In such a scenario, people seldom get attached to their organization and thus move on in a very short span of time.

2. Organization B

   In organization B, employees are particular about the rules and regulations of the organization and adhere to the set guidelines. The individuals focus on their work and look forward to achieving it well ahead of the deadlines. People stay away from unnecessary gossips and prefer sitting at their workstations rather than loitering around.

3. Organization C

   Organization C is a male oriented organization where male employees dominate their female counterparts. Frequent late sitting is a regular feature of the organization culture. Employees prefer staying back late to finish off their pending work. No organization expects its employees to stay back; it is the employee who according to his own convenience adjusts the timings and makes it the culture of the workplace.

In all the above situations it is the style of working and the behaviour of the employees which form the culture of the workplace. The thought processes and assumptions of the members of the organization contribute to its culture.

A motivated and a satisfied employee would promote a healthy culture at the workplace as compared to a demotivated employee.

There are certain organizations where the employees willingly accept challenges and learn something new each day. The roles and responsibilities are delegated as per the interest and specialization of the employees and thus each one tries hard to perform better than the fellow workers. Such organizations follow a strong culture as employees are serious about their work and abide by the policies.

However there are certain organizations where things need to be imposed on the employees. They somehow have to be forced by the management to perform their duties. Team leaders have to be appointed to monitor their performance and make them work. In such cases organization follow a weak culture.

Some organizations have aggressive employees who promote healthy competition at the workplace. Such organizations follow a culture where every individual tries hard to win the appreciation of the management.

Recognition hungry employees encourage a positive culture at the workplace as compared to organizations where people have nothing innovative to do.

Constant disputes, disagreements, leg pulling lead to a negative ambience at the workplace. Employees find it difficult to concentrate in such a culture and look for a change.

The policies, practices, principles of an organization form its culture. It is essential for an employee to understand the culture and adjust to it well to deliver his level best and win management’s appreciation.

Robert A Cooke proposed the following model of organization culture.

Every employee has a way of behaving at the workplace which he feels is the correct way and would help him survive in the organization for a longer duration. Such perceptions of employees form the culture of the organization. According to Robert A Cooke, the culture of an organization is the way employees behave at the workplace to ensure stable future and growth.

Cooke proposed three types of culture in the organization:

1. Constructive Culture

   There are certain organizations which encourage healthy interaction amongst the employees. The individuals have the liberty to share their ideas, exchange information and discuss things to come to an innovative solution beneficial to all. Conflicts arise when employees feel neglected and are not allowed to speak their minds. People crib amongst themselves when queries remain unattended leading to severe demotivation. A constructive culture encourages discussions and exchange of ideas amongst employees. Constructive culture motivates the employees and eventually extracts the best out of them.

   The key features of a constructive culture are:

   • Achievement: A constructive culture helps the employees to achieve the targets within the stipulated time frame.

   • Self Actualizing: In this kind of culture, an employee stays motivated and realizes his full potential.

   • Encouragement: A Constructive culture encourages employees to deliver their level best and strive hard for furthering the image of the organization.

   • Affiliative: The employees avoid conflicts and unnecessary disputes and promote a positive ambience at the workplace.

2. Passive Culture

   In a passive culture, the employees behave in a way contrary to the way they feel is correct and should be the ideal way. In a passive culture, the main motive of the employee is to please the superiors and make his position safe and secure in the organization. In such a culture, employees unhappily adhere to the guidelines and follow the rules and regulations just to save their job.

   The characteristics of a passive culture are:

   • Approval: In such a culture employees can’t take decisions on their own. They need to take their boss’s approval before implementing any idea.

   • Conventional: Employees are bound by rules and regulations of the organization and act according to the prescribed standards only.

   • Dependent: In such a culture, the performance of the employees is dependent on the superior’s decisions and they blindly follow their boss’s orders.

   • Avoidance: Employees tend to avoid their own personal interests, satisfaction and simply act according to the company’s policies.

3. Aggressive Culture

   Organizations following an aggressive culture promote competition amongst the employees. They encourage the employees to compete against each other so that each one performs better than his fellow worker. In such a culture, employees seeking their colleague’s assistance are often called as incompetent employees. Every individual vies for power, attention and strive hard to win appreciation.

   The key features of such a culture are:

   • Opposition
   • Power
   • Perfectionist
   • Competitive

   In the above culture, employees are aggressive, compete against each other and try to become perfectionist by identifying their mistakes and eventually minimizing them.

Communication and relationship play an important role in a healthy organization culture.

Effective communication is essential for a positive culture at the workplace. Transparency in communication is mandatory at all levels for better understanding of work and better bonding among individuals.

Culture is simply the result of the interaction amongst the employees working for a considerable period of time in the organization. A better employee relation promotes a positive culture whereas conflicts and disagreements spoil the ambience and spread negativity all around at the workplace.

Communication plays an important role in increasing the comfort factor amongst the employees and eventually a healthy culture at the workplace.

• The communication between the top management and the employee needs to be effective for better work culture. The management must clearly pass on necessary information to all the employees so that they know what they actually are supposed to do at the workplace. The employees must be very clear with their key responsibility areas for them to deliver their level best. The roles and responsibilities must be delegated as per specialization, educational qualification and area of interest.
• The employees should have the liberty to share their ideas and concepts on an open forum to come to an innovative solution benefitting all. It is essential to come to an alternative acceptable to one and all for a healthy culture at the workplace. Discussions are important before implementing any new idea.
• The consistent performers must have a say in the strategy making. Such activities go a long way in motivating the employees and creating a culture where employees stick to the organization for a long time.
• Morning meetings are essential to effectively communicate the agenda of the day to one and all. Every employee should be treated equally and no one should feel neglected or left out at the workplace. Quick feedbacks are important.
• The employees must develop the habit of using planners and organizers to avoid forgetting critical issues.
• More emphasis should be laid on written communication as compared to verbal communication as no one can ever back out in cases of written communication.
• Emails are an important way of communication at the workplace. All the employees who ought to be a part of the communication should be kept in the loop. The emails should be self-explanatory and provide common information to all.
• The superiors must be accessible to all the members and lend a sympathetic ear in cases of queries.
• Effective communication plays an important role in increasing the morale of the employees.

Relationship

• The employees must avoid conflicts and disagreements at the workplace as it lead to no solution.
• Don’t find faults in your fellow workers. One should be a little more flexible and understanding.
• Your colleagues can be your friends also; after all you spend the maximum time at the workplace. Don’t always think that your colleagues would do harm to you.
• Avoid controversies and rumours at the workplace.
• One should always work with an open mind. Don’t drag issues unnecessarily at workplace.
• Accept the challenges with a smile.
• Go out once in a while with your colleagues for dinners, small get-togethers and parties. Such activities help in breaking the ice and also promote a healthy culture at the workplace.
• Celebrate important festivals at the workplace for a positive work culture.
• Whenever possible, help your colleagues.

The values, policies, ideologies and beliefs of an organization form its culture. The culture of any work place decides the way employees behave with their fellow workers. The employees are the assets of an organization who must contribute effectively to achieve the targets within the desired time frame.

One should not treat his organization as a mere source of earning money. It is essential for an individual to prioritize his work over other things. The employees must have a cordial relation with their superiors and the management for smooth flow of information and better understanding at workplace. Transparency is essential at all levels in the hierarchy to avoid conflicts and unnecessary disagreements. No one should feel neglected at work. Problems arise when queries remain unattended and bosses do not have time for their team members.

To avoid the above situation, organizations have introduced a policy named “Open Door Policy”

What is Open Door Policy ?

According to open door policy, the doors of the offices of superiors or the management (including the CEO) must remain open for the employees to have an easy access in cases of queries. The team members should have the liberty to walk up to their team leaders and discuss issues with them on an open forum.

The role of the managing director, chief executive officer or the chairman is not just to sit in locked cabins the entire day and shout on the employees; instead they should act as a strong pillar of support for them. A healthy interaction amongst the employees is essential for a positive ambience at the workplace. The management must address the employees from time to time to motivate them and expect the best out of them.

Advantages of an Open Door Policy

• Open door policy encourages effective communication between the employee and the management. The employees do not feel left out at the workplace as they know there is someone to support them always at the time of crisis. This way they get attached to the management and are always loyal towards the organization.

• There is no room for confusion when the employees directly interact with their superiors. They feel motivated and strive hard to live up to the expectations of the management. They never badmouth the management or their organization.

• Open door policy encourages healthy discussion at the workplace. Individuals exchange ideas and come to an innovative solution benefitting all. The employees are free to discuss their ideas with the superiors and gain from their talent and mentoring.

• Gone are the days when people used to fear their bosses. The “Hitler approach” does not work in the current scenario. The management must respect the decisions of the employees to expect the same in return. The management must make the employees feel indispensable for the organization and should lend a sympathetic ear whenever required.

• The open door policy enables the employees to seek their boss’s help and freely discuss things with them for better clarity. Open door policy is essential for effective communication, proper feedbacks and better output.

  With the help of the open door policy, the employees do not crib amongst themselves, rather talk to their superiors, clear all their doubts and look forward towards a long term association with the organization.