Is managing culture beyond one’s reach or are there ways to manage it?
I believe more in the latter option; however, the former should be considered as well. I suggest there are ways for the management to influence the culture, whilst it is also somewhat beyond individual’s grasp and the result is more emergent than planned throughout.
Also, rather than thinking of it as a project, we should pay attention to the concrete actions organisations can take to influence it. Before we move on, we need to define what is usually meant by organisational culture.
Wait, What Is Organisational Culture Once Again?
In short, we can understand organisational culture as a dynamic phenomenon which is socially constructed and re-enacted by the members of the organisation. It shapes our behaviour as it embeds rules and guidelines for feelings, actions and perceptions.
In a way, culture is all about having a shared meaning of what the organisation is all about and how things get done there. Similar experiences and processes among people create the base for organisational culture.
Why Organisations Should Pay Attention to Power of Culture?
One reason is that it aligns people’s behaviour towards a common goal, strengthens values and norms, and provides the workforce with a frame of reference that clarifies their role in the organisation.
“Organizational culture is the sum of values and rituals which serve as ‘glue’ to integrate the members of the organization.” — Richard Perrin
It can also be linked to managing knowledge: for instance, if I am aware of the past success stories, when my colleagues shared their knowledge across teams and created something unique together, it makes me aware what type of behaviour is appreciated in the organisation.
Thus, I know that I will be viewed upon in a favourable light if I share my knowledge rather than keep everything to myself. Also, the level of how much people are able to identify themselves with the organisational culture, correlates to their employee loyalty and the overall well-being in their job.
Why Should You Reconsider Your Company Culture?
The triggers for reconsidering the current organisational culture are many.
For example, there might be a need to shape up the culture when the organisation is going through a merger or changing from a start-up towards a more established entity – there might be a need to embed new values, rearrange priorities and ways of working, that will affect the output of organisational members.
Additionally, cultural change can be viewed as essential to allow initiatives and innovation to bloom – thinking outside the norms and routines might not be part of the culture and something should be done about it.
After considering the above, we can say it often all comes down to the people the organisation decides to hire. As it is impossible to completely change people’s inner values, it comes down to finding the people somewhat aligned with the values in the first place.
Company Culture and Recruiting
When recruiting, it is significant to pay attention not only to the candidate’s set of skills, but also their values and ways of working. As a hiring manager, you should ask yourself if you could see the candidate in front of you re-enacting the organisational culture or embodying the aspects your organisation wants to move towards in the future?
Or if we take a step back, before the recruitment process commence, ask yourself is it clear for you what type of culture you want to promote in the organisation and what is the status quo.
Are you able to tell your candidates what type of culture you truly represent and does that mirror your mission and value statements on your web page?
Can you summarize your culture in 3 simple words?
Ask yourself previous questions – it’s a good starting point to evaluate the true state of your company culture.
By clarifying company culture to yourself, you are also able to hire the most ideal candidates that are a genuine match with your organisation.
Influencing Rather Than Managing
When we ponder the idea of whether the culture can be managed or not, we can at least say there are ways of influencing it, and a recruitment process is one of the most important concrete ‘tools’ to do so.
In my next blog I will write about more ideas how to influence culture through recruitment. Also I will touch the topic of how to make employees feel motivated to strive towards a common goal. Until then, I would like to hear about your experiences of cultural management – how has your organisation approached the topic?