Company Culture is Important

Company culture, also referred to as work culture, corporate culture, and organizational culture are the collective dominant attitudes, behaviors, and values of the people making up the organization. Company culture serves both to define and to separate a company from other companies.

Whether the company is structured in a strict hierarchy, how departments inter-relate, and how work teams are formed are all part of the company culture. The accessibility of the top executives and whether they stay in their offices or are seen throughout the building is another aspect of the culture.

All companies have a culture, whether it is recognized and consciously shaped or not. Company culture can benefit a company or be detrimental. Culture is responsible for how things are done at the company, including what decisions are made and how they’re made. Although the company culture is initially established through the company’s mission, vision and values of the founders, as the company grows, everyone in the company comes to have an influence of some degree on the company culture.

Every member of the organization is aware of their company’s culture and actively participate in the development and perpetuation of that culture. Leaders may strive to create or change a certain type of culture, but in the end, people’s personalities, attitudes, behaviors and values create culture.

Once an organization has established a culture, it is extremely difficult to change for several reasons. First, since establishing culture starts at the top and is a reflection of leadership, culture cannot be changed unless leadership is self-aware and is willing to make personal changes and adjustments that can be mirrored throughout the organization. Since leaders are myopically dogmatic, meaning, their way is the best way, very few leaders are inclined to make changes.

Second, once company culture is established, it becomes ingrained into every person in the organization and people begin to justify their actions/reactions as it relates to the culture. Even if you don’t reflect the culture of your company, in time you will adjust to fit in and move forward, hence becoming part of the collective. Over time an organization’s culture becomes your culture.

Third, since a culture becomes imprinted on everyone in an organization, there may come a time when leadership wants to have a paradigm shift. By nature, most people will resist this change. In order to successfully change culture, a company must commit massive efforts, resources and time into influencing a change. Changing a culture does not happen overnight, it takes time to change people’s behaviors and attitudes.

Finally, to have a culture change an organization will have to be willing to cut out the cancer. Leaders need to end professional relationships with those employees who resists the change and those who covertly undermine change. Even if the people are high producers, smartest scientist, most talented professionals or your friends, you need to end the professional relationship. If not, their negativity will spread through an organization like a deadly cancer.

When assessing or evaluating a company, take a close look at their culture. For investments or employment, a company’ culture should be considered. Don’t be fooled, company culture is important.

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