Bing (Culture in A Workplace)
Bing (Culture in A Workplace)
Bing (Culture in A Workplace)
“Culture in a Workplace”
Created by:
SITI FATIMAH AZZAHRA
2205082021
Course Lecturer :
Heddy Lumbantoruan
What does work or organizational culture truly mean? It refers to “the practice or method
by which things get done” in a social environment. It encompasses the values, practices and
procedures based on policies of the organization. In sum, it is individuals as a team agreeing
upon the common values that bind them.Culture also implies leadership, hierarchy and levels
of control — all of which vary with the nature and type of organizations. The quality and
details needed in the workplace depend on the nature of the work being done. For instance,
financial sectors like my own (and likely yours) tend to impose higher levels of control due to
the nature of our accountability.
What makes an office culture substantial is in providing the company’s biggest asset —
the employees — an opportunity to learn and grow, through an enabling and learning
environment, coupled with a solid support system. Although hard skills or competencies like
professionalism, integrity, communication, planning and organizing, continuous learning,
technology are important, it is equally significant to develop soft skills. These include
kindness, compassion, respect and so forth. In other words, a good EQ is as essential as a
good IQ.
1.3. Objectives
CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION
Work culture is a collection of attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that make up the
regular atmosphere in a work environtment. Healthy workplace cultures align employee
behaviors and company policies with the overall goals of the company, while also
considering the well-being of individuals. Work culture determines how well a person fits
into their environment at a new job and their ability to build professional relationships with
colleagues. Your attitude, work-life balance, growth opportunities and job satisfaction all
depend on the culture of your workplace.
Work culture is defined as the cumulative effect that leadership practices, employee
behavior, workplace amenities, and organizational policies create on a worker/internal
stakeholder. It can be measured as either positive or negative work culture.
Companies often use the terms corporate culture and work culture interchangeably –
but there are subtle differences between the two concepts. Corporate culture refers to the
shared set of values, goals, and operational principles active at your organization. It is
determined at a strategic level and primarily relates to the external-facing impacts of culture.
We have all heard about work culture and its ability to shape your organization’s
success curve. But are you paying attention to the culture of your workplace specifically?
Work culture is acted out on a daily basis, influenced by your managers, leaders, frontline
employees, and partners/vendors. It is often an intangible concept, but one that has an
immense effect on employee experiences.
A low attrition rate and high retention often are signs of a good work culture. A strong
recruitment model and brand name may help attract top-tier talent (perceived as the employer
brand) but your work culture is what will retain them.
Here are the four typical components that are included in work culture (although not
limited to) and need to be focused on:
This is the first thing an employee will notice when they join your company. How
many days and how long do you work? How many breaks do you take? These details can
vary from company to company and from country to country.
For instance, American work culture typically mandates a 9-to-5 workday, with a 30
min – 1 hour lunch break in between. This gives you a maximum of 40 work hours a week,
beyond which any effort will fall into overtime. On the other hand, French work culture could
imply a 9-to-6 workday (depending on the region in France), with a 2-hour-long lunch break
in between and much larger guaranteed paid leave.
As per the typical French work culture, employees are encouraged to take frequent
breaks in line with the country’s 35 work hours per week mandate.On the other hand many
companies see benefit in not setting any break time and may be flexible in and out time. With
the rise in work from home culture during and post-covid, flexible work timings is gaining
ground as it is less practical to monitor remote employees so closely, and instead choosing to
focus on work delivery timelines.
Companies have widely utilized flexible work arrangements since the implementation
of COVID-19 to improve employee experience and reduce expenses. However, according to
a recent McKinsey surveyOpens a new window of 50 enterprises, these organizations are
still in the early stages of implementing 12 critical principles for successful hybrid work
models. While they place a premium on data, technology, and strategic planning for both on-
site and remote work, striking a harmonious “true hybrid” balance remains a struggle. Even
among forward-thinking businesses, there is untapped potential for improving performance
and optimizing real estate utilization, emphasizing the importance of flexible work in this
evolution.
A flexible work culture would allow employees to choose their own schedules
without having to furnish justifications other than timely and quality delivery of work. But
this will depend entirely on your unique definition of work culture – there are companies like
Zapier that are 100% remote, as well as IBM, which typically frowns upon remote work.
2. Leadership style
This is probably the biggest determining factor for any workplace’s culture. A
manager who gets their hands dirty and takes part in daily tasks vs. a manager who gives
employees the autonomy to take charge while leading from a high level will lead to two very
different types of work culture.
But no matter the leadership style, managers must keep each employee’s personality
and needs in mind when guiding a team. You can develop their capabilities through one-on-
one coaching, equipping them to deliver superior work experiences.
3. Digital transformation
Today, access to digital tools can make a massive difference in how we work. In
companies still holding onto outmoded, manual ways of working, employees will feel that
their time isn’t being used optimally. As Gen Z enters the workforce (the first truly digitally
native generation), digital transformation could make or break your work culture.
Companies can embrace workflow automation to ease the burden on employees, freeing them
up to innovate, learn new skills, take a break from work, pursue a side hustle, or some other
more meaningful activity.
4. Growth
If you’re looking for inspiration to create a positive work culture, what better place to
look than Fortune’s 2020 List of the 100 Best Places to Work! Here’s how the top five
Creating a positive work culture involves more than just formulating a culture code or
envisioning a strategy. It is shaped by those small, everyday actions which together make up
an employee’s holistic work experience.
So, if you’re looking to push your workplace’s culture in the right direction, here are a
few best practices to follow.
Too often, companies implement a new culture with a top-down approach, where
employees have little say in the decision-making process. But it is a smarter idea to take
inspiration from the type of work culture Workday espouses – collect feedback, build a data
repository, and address specific employee needs with your workplace decisions.
Depending on the location and size of your business, you will have to provide a set of
mandatory employee benefits. But companies with really great work culture are known for
going the extra mile. Whether it is tuition assistance, unlimited vacations, or pawternity
benefits, find a perk that’s unique and sets your workplace apart.
3. Don’t insist on a rigid corporate structure
Now this might vary from American work culture to French work culture to Indian
work culture, and elsewhere, but it is advisable to not let your workplace become too rigid.
For example, a smart-casuals dress code instead of strict formals, moderately lenient
login/logout timings, and a mix of open plan and private spaces (like the ones available at
Ultimate Software) are a good idea.
A workplace where employees perform the exact same tasks is bound to trigger
disengagement. Even if you cannot provide fresh work opportunities, you can inject
dynamism via cross-training sessions, innovative events, and more. Also, switch high-
potential employees who have been in the same role for too long to a more challenging area
so that their work experience doesn’t stagnate.
Stepping out of the office gives your employees the chance to connect in a casual, 1-
on-1 environment – talking about fun, non-work-related topics. This is critical for creating a
positive work culture, as it drives a sense of community among employees. Outdoor events
like a football tournament can also be effective, as it fosters a sense of healthy competition
and camaraderie.
7. Make social media an extension of your workplace community
Today, all of us turn to social media in our personal lives, using it as a platform to
connect with others and strengthen relationships. You could bring the same principle to your
work culture. Make your company’s social media handle a forum for employee
conversations.
5. Transformational power
Not all businesses have the power to transform ordinary employees into total brand
advocates, but those with a strong organizational culture do. Companies that recognize their
employees' efforts and celebrate team successes are more likely to notice a change employees
as they experience a sense of accomplishment.
6. Top performers
Companies that promote community in the workplace are more likely to retain their best
employees. People who are great at their jobs and know the value of their skills commonly
leave negative work environments where they feel undermined and unappreciated.
Organizational culture builds a high-performance culture that strengthens the work of people
within the company, resulting in a positive employee experience overall.
7. Effective onboarding
More and more, businesses with an organizational culture are relying on effective
onboarding practices to train new hires. Onboarding practices that include orientation,
training and performance management programs help new employees access the right
resources and better transition into their roles. This promotes employee longevity and loyalty
and reduces the amount of frustration some employees experience when they don't have the
information needed to do their job well. Onboarding is a great way for companies to ensure
new hires understand the core values of their business.
2. Organization identity
Your identity makes your organization what it is and ensures it stands out from the
crowd. It’s important because your identity is how people inside and outside the business
perceive you. Maintaining a positive identity is vital if you want to demonstrate your
organization’s professionalism and social responsibility.
3. Leadership
The way leaders and managers communicate - and how they encourage teamwork and
openness - is crucial to creating a positive feeling in the workplace. But it’s often an area that
gets overlooked. With 6 in 10 people in one study saying their manager is why they left their
organizations, it’s clear that lack of trust is hampering relationships. That’s
why leaders should find ways to focus on coaching or developing and empowering their
people to do great work rather than micro-managing.
4. People
Your people are your greatest asset, and a diverse pool of talent can bring different
personalities, beliefs, values, skills and experiences into the mix. That’s something to be
celebrated. A company culture where everyone feels comfortable and included will help
unleash employees’ full potential at work.
Look beyond race, gender and sexual orientation to nurture each person as an individual.
With only 32% of employees feeling like they can be their authentic selves at work and just
44% of employees saying their company’s diversity and inclusion approach feels sincere 4,
there’s a massive opportunity for organizations to improve.
5. Workplace norms
Workplace norms are rules and traditions that guide how people do things. They’re
not usually written down. And they’re often so embedded that people can become unaware of
behaviors and actions – even if they’re inappropriate. Because they’ve become ingrained in
everyday routines, they help create a feeling of normality. But just because a business has
always done something a certain way doesn’t mean it’s acceptable today. As workplace
norms evolve, everyone needs to understand the way they should behave at work.
6. Policies
Company rules, decisions and policies can all shape organizational culture.
Recruitment, onboarding, dress codes, recognition programs, training, performance
management, wellbeing and work-life balance can all make a difference to the success of
your business. In particular, having clear, transparent policies for bullying or harassment
shows you take inappropriate behavior seriously.
7. Communication
With the rapid growth of remote working and dispersed workplaces, open
communication is critical for productive workplace cultures. People need to be informed.
They want to stay in the loop and know what’s going on in their organization, even if it
doesn’t affect them directly. They want to access information quickly, collaborate, share
ideas and solve problems wherever they are, at any time, from any device. All teams have
interpersonal conflicts from time to time, but a functional work culture will help you resolve
issues quickly and professionally.
8. Working environment
A working environment should be a place where everyone feels safe, engaged,
inspired and productive. Your workplace's physical setting is important because it affects
how people do their jobs day in, day out. Lighting, noise levels, temperature and desk layout
can all affect mood, whether you’re working in an office, warehouse or home. No one wants
to feel uncomfortable while they’re working.
9. Subcultures
If you’re working for the same organization, you’re all on the same side, right? Not
necessarily. A ‘them and us’ situation can often develop between different departments or
teams if they don’t communicate effectively. Subcultures within your organization have the
potential to disrupt the overall culture. But positive subcultures that complement each other
can get everyone working together to achieve the same overall aims and objectives.
Employee burnout is on the rise. Job website Indeed surveyed more than 1,500
employees in March 2021 and found that 52 percent of respondents were feeling burnt out.
That feeling is even more common among people working virtually, according to the survey.
As a result, it’s more important than ever to address employee health and wellness within
your culture. A helpful place to start is to review the goals you set for employees. While it’s
important to be ambitious, your expectations need to be reasonable and flexible. Reaching
them shouldn’t come at the cost of an employee’s personal life. It’s also important for
managers to create space for employees to tend to their mental health. Incorporating wellness
days, increased paid time off and flexible work hours into your benefits package can all go a
long way toward improving employee work-life balance.
2. Job satisfaction: Organizational culture can also have a significant impact on job
satisfaction. Employees who feel that their work is meaningful and that their
contributions are valued are more likely to be satisfied with their job and
committed to the organization.
3. Turnover rates: A negative organizational culture can lead to high turnover rates
as employees become dissatisfied with their work environment and seek
opportunities elsewhere. This can be costly for organizations in terms of
recruitment and training.
4. Innovation: A positive organizational culture that fosters creativity and
innovation can lead to new ideas and approaches that can benefit the
organization in the long term.
1. Define and communicate values: Clearly defining the values of the organization
and communicating them to employees can help create a shared sense of purpose
and direction. This can foster a positive culture and help employees understand
how their work contributes to the larger goals of the organization.
2. Lead by example: Leaders within the organization should model the behavior
they expect from employees. This includes demonstrating respect, openness, and
a commitment to continuous improvement.
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If you work in a customer-facing industry, it’s likely that your organization prides
themselves on excellent customer service. After all, that’s the goal for a customer-facing
company. But what can a customer-focused culture do for your company? A customer service
culture empowers employees to put customers first and solve problems in a timely manner.
Employees understand who the customer is and what matters to them. For example, a retail
employee who is aligned with the customer service culture might quickly look for an
innovative solution to help a customer return a tricky product.
To build a customer-service focused culture, one of the most important things to do is hire
the right people. Potential employees should not only have the experience and skills required,
but should display quality people skills and be respectful in every interaction. But don’t stop
there. Regularly recognize excellent customer service in company meetings and reward your
top performers.
2. Task-Oriented
If your team members often find themselves heads down while executing on projects,
it’s likely that you have a task-oriented culture. It’s about the grind here. This type of culture
prizes employees who manage time efficiently and get tasks done on time. Autonomy is often
a value in this type of organization, with team members solely responsible for the tasks they
have been assigned. Employees who work in this kind of culture might find they love their
autonomy and the thrill of success after a big project.
To build a task-oriented culture, ensure the right processes are in place for efficient
work. Have a team member present their work in a company meeting who has redesigned a
procedure that led to improvements. Make sure tasks have clearly defined owners and
deadlines. Having employees show how they can be efficient can help inspire others and
cultivate the task-oriented culture you want.
3. Results-Driven
Does your organization have measurable goals that are visible for every employee in
the company? Are team members expected to report on how the work they do maps back to
these overarching goals? If so, you’re likely working in a results-driven culture. This type of
culture focuses largely on metrics like revenue and market share. The work that happens
matters, but what the work actually does matters more.
4. Focused On Wellbeing
Less than one in four U.S. employees feels strongly that their organization cares about
their wellbeing. If your employees are part of the 25%, you definitely have a good wellbeing
culture. If not, prioritizing wellbeing is a great next step for your organization to take. A
culture of wellbeing aims to support and empower employees to focus on their health and
lifestyle. This includes emotional wellbeing, social wellbeing, financial wellbeing and
physical wellbeing. Should your culture prioritize wellbeing? Probably. Right now burnout at
work is costing the country $322 billion. A wellbeing-focused culture keeps your employees
healthy and your company running smoothly.
A company that truly cares about its employees takes the time to understand them and
their needs. Consider issuing an employee benefits survey to get a feel for what your team
members would profit from. Evaluate benefit and wellness packages based on the results.
5. Connected
How do you build connection? Frequent team building is an effective tool. This type
of activity allows employees to engage with one another outside of a typical working
environment. Believe it or not, fun helps. These activities show off individuals’ strengths,
weaknesses and personality. Letting your employees showcase their unique personalities lets
them make connections and feel at home, while at work (yes, even if they’re working from
home).
6. Innovative
An innovative culture prides itself on cutting edge solutions, out-of-the-box
brainstorming and big ideas. Innovative projects are highlighted frequently in company
meetings, and there are often budgets available for trying new things. This type of company
has a positive outlook on failure as something to be learned from. Teams feel safe to share
wild ideas and risky propositions. It’s all about the journey here.
To strengthen a culture of innovation, consider setting aside one working day entirely
for new ideas. Encourage employees to spend the day thinking of new processes, solutions
and ideas. Have team members present these innovative ideas and have a prize for the most
out of the box suggestion. Don’t forget to reinforce the ideas that are thrown out, so
employees feel encouraged rather than discouraged to join in.
A workplace has norms that govern appropriate behaviour, even if you are may not
fully aware of them. All workplaces do. When humans interact social norms are developed
and these norms are enforced by social sanctions.
Different people and groups also tend to sanction in different ways. I personally don’t
tend to yell at people but I can give a look of disapproval that is decidedly icy.Sanctions
themselves tend to be normative. For example in my cricket team most minor deviations from
group norms tend to be sanctioned by ridicule. I would not say we have a negative culture,
just that nonconformity tends to be light heartedly ridiculed. For us this is effective for the
group to promote desired behaviour.
Types of sanctions
Sanctions can be formal or informal. Formal sanctions are imposed through formal
means by an organization (or representative) upon individuals. They are normally clearly
defined, and can include fines or rewards for deviation or compliance. They are often
documented in policy, rules or regulations.
Informal sanctions are imposed by individuals or groups upon other individuals or
groups without the use of a formal system. Scornful looks, shunning, boycotts, and other
actions are forms of informal sanctioning.Another distinction between different types of
sanctions is useful: between internal and external sanctions.Internal sanctions are
consequences imposed by the individual herself, based upon compliance with social norms.
So, for example, an individual might suffer from embarrassment, shame or depression as a
result of noncompliance and associated exclusion from social groups.
External sanctions, on the other hand, are consequences imposed by others and
include things like expulsion from a group, public humiliation, punishment by management,
and arrest and imprisonment, among others.Sanctions do not have to be activated to be
effective. The threat or possibility of a sanction can influence behaviour.
For example a public flogging is a social sanction, but there would be few
organisations anywhere in the world today where this would be appropriate. This is obviously
an extreme example. We need to consider whether a sanction is appropriate from a
normative, moral and legal perspective, as well as how the sanction will affect our
organisational culture.
As discussed earlier in relation to my cricket team, ridicule can be an effective sanction. But
it can also negatively affect culture by creating an environment that is less safe, open, and
supportive. Therefore sanctions need to be carefully and appropriately coordinated.
Leaders have control over sanctions by choosing how they sanction, and by
influencing how others sanction. This is of vital importance since leaders have a
responsibility to create a positive culture in their group or organisation.Leaders need to
consider how they use each of the different types of sanctions, how these sanctions typecast
people, and how their sanctions set behavioural expectations.
The types of sanctions are listed below. See above for description.
Conformity / Nonconformity
Formal / Informal
Internal / External
3.1. CONCLUSION
Work culture is formed as soon as the work unit or company is established, meaning
that it takes time to survive, even tens or hundreds of years, to form a work culture. Work
culture certainly differs from one company to another, this is because the foundation and
behavioral attitudes reflected by each person in the company are different.
Work culture can develop in a number of different ways and processes. " The
formation of a work culture can occur because it is initiated by the
founders or top management or appointed officials, so that the amount of influence they have
will determine the particular way things are carried out in the work unit or company they
lead . " Robbins 1996:301-302 states that " Work culture is built and maintained based on the
philosophy of the founder or leader " . This culture is greatly influenced by the criteria used
in hiring its workforce . Good or bad leadership actions will greatly influence acceptable
behavior.
To improve a good work culture, it takes time to change it, so the leader's
commitment to attitude and behavior needs to be improved which will then be followed by
his subordinates.
The formation of a work culture begins with the leader's level of awareness because
the relationship between the leader and his subordinates greatly determines what is carried
out in a company . Every work culture that has been formed in the company will foster
values including :
1. Discipline; Behavior that is always based on the regulations and norms that apply in the
company . Discipline includes compliance with laws and regulations, procedures, working
hours, interacting with work partners, and so on.
2. Openness; Readiness to give and receive correct information from and to fellow partners for
the benefit of the company .
3. Respect each other; Behavior that shows respect for individuals, the duties and
responsibilities of other people, fellow work partners.
4. Cooperation; Willingness to give and receive contributions from and/or to work partners in
achieving company goals and targets (collaborating).
From the values above, it is clear that work culture has a very significant role as the
company's foundation in achieving its goals effectively and efficiently . Building confidence
in human resources or instilling the values mentioned above will underlie the attitudes and
behavior of individuals within the company .Work culture will change the attitudes and
behavior of human resources in improving the quality and quantity of work results so as to
achieve higher work productivity in facing future challenges.
3.2. SUGGESTIONS
It is hoped that readers will increase awareness in implementing culture in the
workplace. Having a good culture will have an impact on performance and positive views
from various levels of society. There is nothing wrong if we live in a habit of practicing good
culture, both in the world of work and in everyday life.