According to Investopedia, “Organizational culture refers to the values, beliefs, and behaviours that determine how a company’s employees and management interact, perform, and handle business transactions.”
Thus, the Organization Culture affects employee engagement on its job, inducing productivity, and the overall performance that is crucial in determining an organization’s success.
In order to achieve the performance goals and employees’ interests, organizations must establish a culture that is compatible to both. Around 50% of respondents felt that workplace culture affects productivity, creativity, profitability, company value, and growth rates, according to the research results reported in the Forbes article titled ‘Corporate Culture Matters a Lot, Says New Study’ (2015). Some of the essential components that help to form an effective and functional organizational culture are discussed below.
- Establishing the mission and values of the organization is the first stage in developing a successful organizational culture. This can be accomplished through a mission statement or a set of guiding principles that express the organization’s objectives. To make sure that employees’ interests and concerns are taken into consideration, it is crucial to include them in this process. In the Forbes article named ‘Understanding The Importance of Corporate Culture after the Great Resignation’ (2022), it was shown that 91% of managers believe that a candidate’s fit with the corporate culture holds at least as much weight as their education and expertise.
- The next phase is to create a set of behaviours and practices that represent the organization’s values once its mission and values have been established. Open communication, teamwork, accountability, and ongoing learning and development are a few examples of this. Setting up clear expectations for behaviour and holding staff members accountable for upholding them are crucial.
- The physical work environment is one facet of organizational culture that is frequently disregarded. Employee engagement and productivity can be significantly impacted by the workplace environment. A positive culture that supports employees’ interests and performance can be developed by creating a work environment that is comfortable, attractive, and engaging.
- Employee appreciation and recognition is a crucial component of organizational culture. Employee engagement and productivity are more likely to occur when they feel valued and appreciated. Employees’ interests and performance can be supported by a culture that values employee recognition for contributions, chances for growth and development, and competitive pay and benefits. According to Forbes article ‘Organizational Culture is an Overlooked Factor In Transformation’ (2021), it was observed that organizations that have an impactful corporate cultures had an employee satisfaction rate which was 20% greater than other organizations – which depicts a higher productivity level and a greater quality of work.
- Finally, it’s critical for businesses to regularly assess their cultures to make sure they’re serving the requirements of both the business and the people who work there. Surveys, focus groups, and other forms of feedback can be used to accomplish this. Making necessary changes to the culture can ensure that it continues to support both the interests of the workforce and the organization’s performance goals.
In a nutshell, establishing a successful organizational culture needs conscious, intentional work. Organizations can develop a culture that best suits their performance objectives and employees’ interests by defining the organization’s purpose and values, establishing clear expectations for behaviour, creating a positive work environment, recognizing and appreciating employees, and routinely evaluating the culture. Increased staff engagement, productivity, and general success may result from this.
