Workplace Culture: What is it and Why is it Important?
The culture around us influences everything we do. On a global scale, it influences the food we eat, the languages we speak, and the social norms that are expected. On a smaller scale, the culture of a company can speak volumes to its mission, values, and ideals.
What is workplace culture?
Culture is all around us, even at work, it is likely defined by different people differently. On the most basic level, Forbes defines workplace culture as: “The shared values, belief systems, attitudes, and the set of assumptions that people in a workplace share.”
Work culture guides employees on what behaviours, expectations and matters of importance are part of the company’s current DNA. It also grows and shifts with the circumstances.
“It’s a living and breathing thing that’s evolving all the time,” J.C. Herrera, CHRO at cyber security firm Crowd Strike.
Why Is Work Culture Important?
Work culture can have a profound impact on several significant aspects of the employee experience, like individual and team morale, workplace engagement and job satisfaction. E.g., 94% of people managers say “a positive workplace culture creates a resilient team of employees,” according to a Society for Human Resource Management survey.
Practices that negatively impact workplace culture and promote a toxic team dynamic can steer an organization in the opposite direction, making it difficult to hire and retain good employees. A 2022 survey of job seekers revealed 23% of respondents identified “company values and culture” as a top influence over whether they decide to accept a job offer. That same survey also showed 21% of job seekers said “poor company culture” was their top reason for leaving a job in the past year and 34% reported leaving a job within the first 90 days because “company culture was not as expected.”
Work culture will naturally form within every organization and sometimes to the detriment of the business. Allowing negative behaviours and toxic attitudes to fester will cultivate an unfavourable work experience — and an expensive one too. Toxic workplace cultures cost U.S. employers $223 billion in turnover over a five- year period, according to a report by the Society for Human Resource Management.
Work culture not only guides employees in the workplace, but it also guides customers on whether they want to do business with you.
Elements of Workplace Culture
There are several factors that go into developing work culture. Research from the MIT Sloan School of Management and CultureX based on Glassdoor data identified 10 elements of culture that employees care most about:
- Feeling respected.
- Having supportive leadership.
- Whether leaders’ actions align with core values.
- Managers who foster a toxic work environment.
- Witnessing unethical behaviour.
- Benefits.
- Perks and amenities.
- Opportunities for learning and professional development.
- Job security.
- Frequency and quality of reorganizations.
The actions an employer takes to move the needle in a positive or negative direction when it comes to team culture can play an important role in employees’ sense of fulfilment. People who feel unfulfilled at work are less likely to put effort into contributing toward company success or to recommend their current employer to others.
People report experiencing workplace culture most strongly through their employers’ approach to performance, recognition and celebrations and company mission and values, according to a 2022 Quantum Workplace survey. These foundational elements of work culture involve making sure employees feel their individual contributions are valued and their voices are being heard.
Survey respondents commonly used words like “flexible,” “inclusive,” “friendly,” “collaborative” and “fun” to characterize “ideal workplace cultures.” Most employees say defining and communicating culture starts with leaders and managers. But more than half also see employees at all levels as individual contributors in shaping culture.
How to Improve Workplace Culture
- Set clear objectives to guide employee performance.
- Make sure employees understand the organization’s long-term goals.
- Establish diversity initiatives and promote inclusive practices.
- Encourage transparency and open communication among department heads, management and team members.
- Let every employee have a seat at the table and empower them to share their thoughts.
- Create opportunities for employees to get to know one another at work and outside of work to foster meaningful relationships.
Set clear departmental goals
Create a positive, inclusive work culture by welcoming individuals from all backgrounds and celebrating their differences.
Allow for light heartedness
Work has its stressful moments and being able to make a difficult situation more light-hearted is an invaluable skill. Of course, the ultimate goal should be to resolve the problem, but a fresh perspective and positive outlook is more productive than the alternative. As Dale Carnegie, an American writer and lecturer, said, “People rarely succeed unless they are having fun in what they are doing.”
Well explanation & very good content.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chathurani
DeleteGreat work and I could have better knowledge about this.Thank you for sharing this .Well done
ReplyDeleteThank you Srimali
DeleteYou explained workplace culture in detail. nicely presented.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mahinda
DeleteI completely agree with the statement that creating a positive work environment is crucial for an organization's success, particularly in today's economic climate where uncertainty and change are common. A positive work environment can significantly impact employee engagement, motivation, and productivity, and can help to retain top talent.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ruzly, agreed with your point.. quality of the work environment is what retains employees
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