Corporate Culture can be effectively defined as the basic behaviors and the attitudes and all the related approaches that individuals within an organization use when they interact with one another for any reason at all. It also refers to formal and written policy within the company that is concerned with things like the dress code of the employees, the employee relationship with each other within the organization, and also the various informal behaviors that are generally accepted by the entire group of employees. (Stress Management: Corporate Culture) Corporate Culture also refers to a company's basic values, business principles, its traditions and views, its various methods of operations, and its basic internal work environment. (Define corporate culture) When an individual wishes to learn about the corporate culture of a particular state, like for example, if he wanted to gather information about the basic work ethic and corporate culture in the United States of America, then he must conduct extensive research in the ways in which organizations in America generally function, as this would enable him to get a better view of the work culture in that country. (Corporate Culture: Introduction)
Therefore, if a person desired to work in America, he would do well to research the corporate culture of companies in America, so that he would know whether or not he would fit into the mainstream there. In a similar manner, when an individual is seeking a job, he must conduct an extensive research on the company's corporate culture before he approaches it, so that he may be better prepared. Today, this type of employer-employee fit in terms of corporate culture is increasing everywhere, and it is imperative for the employee to know whether he would fit in with that particular company's culture when he applies for the job. In fact, the better the employee fits into that company's culture, the better he would be at his job, and his imminent success or failure in the job would closely depend on this aspect. (Uncovering a Company's Corporate Culture is a Critical Task for Job Seekers)
The very 'personality' of the organization is what is more important today, in terms of corporate culture, and it also describes 'how things are done around here'. It acts as a veritable guide to employees, telling them how to think and act and feel, within the organization, and how not to as well. All these basic beliefs of the company are usually expressed in the company's 'mission statement', as well as in its other forms of communication, and it can also be expressed in the architectural style, or in the interior decor of the organization. At times, what the employees are expected to wear for work, the manner in which they behave inside the office, how they address each other, and also the various titles that are given to each employee, all these contribute to the corporate culture of an organization.
On the other hand, does the corporate culture of a company affect the employee? The answer is 'yes'. For example, the number of hours the employee would have to work per day and also per week, and the several options such as flextime, and the time allowed for telecommuting would also be taken into consideration, and these would have an impact on the employee, and his willingness to work for the company. The basic interaction of the employees within the organization, which constitutes the work environment, and the nature of the environment, whether it is a hostile or a friendly place, and also whether there is a healthy degree of competition between the employees, or whether they are all against each other, make a great impact on the employee. The dress code is also important, and if it is something comfortable and acceptable, then it would make for a happier employee, and vice versa. (Uncovering a Company's Corporate Culture is a Critical Task for Job Seekers)
Some organizations believe in the concept of a 'casual day', wherein all the employees are allowed to wear whatever they like to work, and this may be a good incentive for the employee, and also reflects the corporate culture of the company. The office space that is granted to the employee,...
In addition, he must also research whether the company would allow him to place his own personal items on his desk, or whether it is banned.
There are some organizations that offer perks such as gyms, daycare facilities, playrooms, break rooms, cafeterias, and so on, and these may prove to be incentive enough for the employee, because if the corporate culture of the organization would allow for such facilities, then the company is indeed one that cares for its employees'
welfare and well being. At times, the company expects the employees of the company to spend a certain amount of time after office hours in each other's company, and this may be either attractive or not to individuals. The basic interaction between the
management or the other top people within the organization with the employees also contributes to a large extent to the corporate culture of the company, and if the top management is expected to behave at par with its employees, then there is no
doubt that they would in turn feel happier and more accepted in the organization. (Uncovering a Company's Corporate Culture is a Critical Task for Job Seekers)
It is a fact that there have been many articles and books written in recent years, about the relative importance of corporate culture within an organization. In the dictionary, culture is described as "the act of developing intellectual and moral faculties, especially through
education." It can also be described as the "moral, social, and behavioral norms of an organization based on the beliefs, attitudes, and priorities of its members," and it must be remembered that each and every organization generally has its very own set of cultures or values, and it expects all its employees to follow them. However, it must also be noted that not all organizations attempt to consciously create a culture within the organization; rather, most of the time, it is formed almost unconsciously, and it is more often than not based on the values that the top management believe in, or what the founders of the company may have followed. (Corporate Culture: Auxillium West)
One important corporate company is '
Hewlett Packard', which is extremely conscious of its corporate culture. In fact, it's advertising slogan reads, "The HP Way," and the company has indeed worked hard over the past many years to maintain and uphold its strict standards of corporate culture. In a nutshell, it can be stated that the corporate culture of Hewlett Packard is based on several important points, which are: a basic respect for others, a complete sense of community, and third, plain hard work on the part of all its employees. This corporate culture has been created and developed and maintained through a program, which believes in extensive training of its managers and also of all its employees. It is often stated that the very success of the company Hewlett Packard is in fact based on its corporate culture. (Corporate Culture: Auxillium West)
The 'Southwest Airlines' is another company that believes in maintaining its corporate and its
workplace culture, and the success that this brings is amply demonstrated by its continued success in the field, as seen in its figures for the past five years. In addition, the company's reputation as a 'good employer' has spread far and wide, and this means that a prospective employee would not hesitate in attempting to apply for a job in this company. According to Herb Kelleher, the CEO of Southwest Airlines, in an article written by him in the winter 1995 issue of the ACA or the American Compensation Association Journal, the company utilized certain tried and tested methods to effectively maintain its corporate culture, and these are, starting with hiring, all very important.
As far as hiring a new employee is concerned, the company accepts the fact that it is extremely careful and zealous, and the management or the hiring team only look for one particular type of individual, regardless of the actual category of the job. That person must be, according to the company's corporate culture, someone with a very broad and positive outlook towards life, and he must also be a person who would be able to lend himself to causes. He must also be a person who would find as much joy in
teamwork and accomplishments as a team as in his own personal accomplishments, and he must also be a person with a great sense of humor. Taking part in and cooperating with a group of individuals in group…
