We all know what "culture" is when it comes to countries and their people:
It is both the overt (stated/lived) & covert (unstated but clear) expectation for behaviors, attitudes, ethics, and business practices, from how personnel management is handled to how customer service plays out...
It is the foundation for your workforce's performance, and therefore of your bottom-line.
"Organizational culture is the underlying and driving element for any organization's "residue of success".
Edgar Schein, Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management
So...How does your workplace operate?
Sample - Healthy Operations Sample - Unhealthy Operations √ horizontal problem-solving/decision-making x top-down decision-making/problem-solving √ accountability is applied consistently x the "difficult employee shuffle" √ problems are prevented (proactivity) x problems become crises (reactivity) √ excellence is consistently rewarded x excellence is ignored as "a given"
What kinds of behaviors/attitudes are your workplace's norm?
Sample:Healthy Behaviors/Attitudes Sample:Unhealthy Behaviors/Attitudes √ respect shown even when disagreeing x disrespectfulness tolerated/encouraged √ everyone is held to the same standard x double standards applied regularly √ diversity is appreciated & optimized x differences are discouraged or ridiculed √ boundaries & privacy are respected x gossip abounds/accepted
Does your Organization have a clearly defined Vision?
If so, do you, your managers and employees live it? If not, why not?
In Other Words:
What are the Overall Values by which your organization operates?
Do they emphasize:
♦ respect
♦ continuous excellence recognition
♦ team decision-making/problem-solving, and
♦ on-going skill-building that quality employees seek in today’s job market?
-OR-
Do they unwittingly foster:
◊ unproductive competitiveness, on-going digs and undermining behaviors
◊ hierarchical “order-giving” and
◊ poor communication & supervision practices...
...all ingredients for high staff turn-over, lack of organizational loyalty, or worse yet, "under the radar" workplace violence, the #1 workplace safety issue facing businesses of all sizes nationally.
Research has shown that the following 2 issues are consistently found in unhealthy company cultures:
In today's multi-generational workforce, each one has its own set of expectations, work habits, and beliefs about the best way to handle everything from customer service to team interactions. For example
Reduce turn-over
Attract - and keep - the best and brightest professionals
Retain and grow your customers' loyalty and therefore your base
Establish high levels of industry credibility
Be a leader in your field
Create...and maintain, a healthy, vibrant, dynamic company culture.
- Some value democracy, where everyone's voice is heard and valued
- Some are autocratic...promoting "state control" - caring little about inspiring innovation or promoting individual excellence, so continuously see an exodus of those who want a better life....
- Some value citizen achievement & upward mobility, so attract high-achievers from other countries
It is both the overt (stated/lived) & covert (unstated but clear) expectation for behaviors, attitudes, ethics, and business practices, from how personnel management is handled to how customer service plays out...
It is the foundation for your workforce's performance, and therefore of your bottom-line.
"Organizational culture is the underlying and driving element for any organization's "residue of success".
Edgar Schein, Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management
So...How does your workplace operate?
Sample - Healthy Operations Sample - Unhealthy Operations √ horizontal problem-solving/decision-making x top-down decision-making/problem-solving √ accountability is applied consistently x the "difficult employee shuffle" √ problems are prevented (proactivity) x problems become crises (reactivity) √ excellence is consistently rewarded x excellence is ignored as "a given"
What kinds of behaviors/attitudes are your workplace's norm?
Sample:Healthy Behaviors/Attitudes Sample:Unhealthy Behaviors/Attitudes √ respect shown even when disagreeing x disrespectfulness tolerated/encouraged √ everyone is held to the same standard x double standards applied regularly √ diversity is appreciated & optimized x differences are discouraged or ridiculed √ boundaries & privacy are respected x gossip abounds/accepted
Does your Organization have a clearly defined Vision?
If so, do you, your managers and employees live it? If not, why not?
In Other Words:
What are the Overall Values by which your organization operates?
Do they emphasize:
♦ respect
♦ continuous excellence recognition
♦ team decision-making/problem-solving, and
♦ on-going skill-building that quality employees seek in today’s job market?
-OR-
Do they unwittingly foster:
◊ unproductive competitiveness, on-going digs and undermining behaviors
◊ hierarchical “order-giving” and
◊ poor communication & supervision practices...
...all ingredients for high staff turn-over, lack of organizational loyalty, or worse yet, "under the radar" workplace violence, the #1 workplace safety issue facing businesses of all sizes nationally.
Research has shown that the following 2 issues are consistently found in unhealthy company cultures:
- management having its radar set way too high - "if we don't see it, we can pretend it's not a problem.."
- continuing to rely on the old-fashioned top-down hierarchy for business operations that repeated studies (one by the US Dept. of Labor) have shown to be both inefficient (very "last century...") and a source for staff discontentment that easily grows into undermining behaviors, lost customers, and a reputation as a undesirable place to work.
In today's multi-generational workforce, each one has its own set of expectations, work habits, and beliefs about the best way to handle everything from customer service to team interactions. For example
- Boomers prefer face-to face transactions, where Gen& prefer electronic
- GenX need to be brought into the arena more deliberately, where Boomers will find ways to be involved
- Boomers believe that GenY are "slackers"; GenX & Y believe Boomers are workaholics.
Reduce turn-over
Attract - and keep - the best and brightest professionals
Retain and grow your customers' loyalty and therefore your base
Establish high levels of industry credibility
Be a leader in your field
Create...and maintain, a healthy, vibrant, dynamic company culture.
