In many organizations, the importance of organizational culture is often underestimated. In the race for revenue, more customers, deadlines, and targets, culture takes a back seat. For the neutral observer, however, it is one of those components of an organization that is more noticeable for the lack of it than its existence.
The importance of good organizational culture cannot be overstated. Without culture, the organization is a lifeless organism that doesn’t stand for anything but functions according to the whims and fancies of a few.
There are no underlying values that bind the employees of the organization together and make them work towards a common goal.
Establishing organizational culture
Whether or not you consciously create your organizational culture, it already exists. Lack of conscious effort on part of the senior management leads to a decadent office culture where everyone is a maverick working their own way according to their own ethos and styles without combining their efforts for the well-being of the organization.
So stand for something. Create some policies. Make sure that everyone is on the same boat working towards the same thing. First establish an organizational culture for yourself.
Improving organizational culture
Once you established your culture, you need to seek ways to improve it continuously.
One of the most important components of good organizational cultures is transparency, transparency in dealing with employees, transparency in policies, and transparency in interactions with everyone outside the organization. There should be open and clear communication among employees and management on the direction that the organization wants to take.
Another great way of improving organizational culture is to hire the right fresh talent. Seek to hire candidates who understand the importance of organizational culture and those who you feel will fit right in with your current culture and even further improve it.
Remember, bad hires cost you, in more than one way. Bad hires can have a really adverse impact on your culture.
Then comes R&R. A good organization is one in which efforts are recognized and promoted in different ways. Ensure that the R&R programs act as motivators for everyone.
Other steps include inculcating and improving cultural intelligence, clear communication, offering perks, and so on. Ensure that you create an organizational culture that you can be proud of.
