Organizational culture is very different
from organizational structure. With culture, the focus is more on the
individuals within the organization and their relationships. If a culture is
not good it can be very detrimental to the function of an organization. The culture of an organization boils down to
the unspoken rules that many follow. For instance, not speaking up when you see
someone cutting corners or taking home an office stapler.
An article by John E. Sheridan,
discusses the link between organizational culture and employee retention. Sheridan
suggests that organizational culture can influence the role of human resources
as well as the hiring process. When employees are happy in an organization they
more likely to perform better and stay longer as opposed to those who are
unhappy. Organizational culture can sometimes be the direct factor in high
employee turnovers.
In their article, Denison and Mishra address
culture affecting the function of an organization. This can also impact
employee retention as Sheridan mentioned in his article. Organizational culture
is not an area that can be easily changed. Even with a new CEO coming in and
changing things, employees will still try to do things the way they always
have. The key is to begin change slowly and easily. Organizational culture can aid companies in
effectiveness and overall ambiance within the organization. This would lead to
better results, happier employees and an improved reputation.
Denison,
D.R. & Mishra, A.K. (1995) Toward a theory of organizational culture and
effectiveness.Organization Science, 6, 204-223.
Sheridan, J.E. (1992). Organizational Culture and Employee Retention. The Academy of Management Journal, 35 (5),1036-1056.
Hi Melinda,
ReplyDeleteYour article choice definitely compliments our readings about organizational culture this week. You make an interesting mention about the unspoken rules among employees that stem from the company's culture. This is key to how communication flows and how the company stays successful. I think employees need to have a good understanding of the culture so everyone is on the same page. This also speaks to the idea of staying consistent with the values and culture of the organization, even when no one is looking. I think sometimes employees act a certain way when their supervisor is nearby, but may act differently when that person is not around. This behavior is not just related to the culture but employee ethics.
I agree. Employee ethics are an important factor to consider in organizational culture. We had a new employee start today and we all kind of acted differently around her because we had heard through the rumor mill that she was close to the big boss. It made everyone pretty scared to carry on business as usual. Hopefully she joins the dark side soon and engages in our normal activities so we can return to normal. lol
DeleteI agree that it can be very difficult to change office culture - even with the clear transition of a new leader in the organization. I agree with your suggestion to start slowly and easily. I'm curious, with your comment that culture can define levels of function in an organization, do you think it is more important to focus on the easier switch processes or culture (which may take longer to do so) first? Excellent points made!
ReplyDelete