Corporate Culture

Culture has per the Oxford Dictionary it has lot of meanings http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/culture but more importantly we need to understand on the definition where it says the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or society

Culture is evolved by particular people or Society:
A thought process of certain individuals which can collectively become a culture.

Now we need to understand:
That something which affects us as pertinently as our family culture is our Corporate Culture or in simple terms our office culture. The place of work, where at an average, we spend more time than our home or family. Corporate Culture surely is there and needs to be addressed on serious terms by the Management of the Company.

What is Corporate Culture?

It is a gradual process. It can be classified under the following:
• Management Oriented
• Employees Oriented
• Combination Oriented
• External Forces Oriented

MANAGEMENT ORIENTED:
It is where in a few string heads of organization decide and orient the systems so as to become the culture of the organization.

Corporate A:
Official Lunch Time – 1 pm to 1.30 pm
A group of employees establish a habit of a walk of another half an hour after lunch time
Now as a Lunch time is delayed and the management does not object it becomes a process. So as simple as that it easily evolves into a CULTURE.

CULTURE – Delay every work process by Half an Hour.

Corporate B:
Official In Time – 9 am
The CEO if not on tour or any official duty arrives 99% on time or before time
Boss arrives on time…We need too. So as simple as that it easily evolves into a CULTURE.

CULTURE – Where work process either is completed on time or before time.
What derives this culture:-
1) Management Thought Process
2) Managements Initiatives
3) Management Electives

EMPLOYEES ORIENTED:
This is where a group of employees determine the culture. It is a case of Weak Management Systems and can happen in cases where the Company is Dependent on certain employees for its productivity and growth.

Corporate 1:
Attitude & Habit: A group of Senior Level Employees chew Tobacco and spit it out in Washrooms
This encourages other employees to follow suit.

CULTURE – Untidiness in office and untidiness at all related works

Corporate 2:
Attitude & Habit: Senior Employees even pick up a piece of dropped piece of paper in common area and deposit it in the dustbin.
Promotes cleanliness in office and work

CULTURE – Not only are the Work Stations clean but also the actual work is clean and precise.
What derives this culture:-
1) Influence of Senior employee over the Management
2) Managements Electiveness

COMBINATION ORIENTED:
This is where Management and a Group of Employees determine the culture. You can term it as Boarding School scenario. In a Boarding School…the School Management wants Discipline etc…What actually happens in the dormitories is totally different. Seniors Dominate

Employees are totally confused as to whom to follow? Dangerous scenario.

Corporate 1:
Attitude & Habit: Management wants cost saving majors to be implemented into basic systems, however a group of senior employees promote unjustified expenses. However when Management queries on certain expenses the seniors back out leaving the employee as a scapegoat.
Result is employees are confused and hence opts out.
What derives this culture:-
1) Managements over trust factor on Senior Employees
2) Senior Employees influence on the staff as well as their trust factor over Management
3) Ability of the Senior Employees to shred off their teams members claims

CULTURE – Chaotic

Corporate 2:
Attitude & Habit: Management is more interested in profit than quality of final output (this may happen when new management takes over) but a group of senior employees promote quality.
CULTURE – Chaotic
What derives this culture:-
1) Management focus is business
2) Senior Employees are more concerned of the quality
3) No decisive understanding between management and the senior employees

EXTERNAL FORCES ORIENTED:
This is where Management and group of senior employees agree to change according to certain branded Industry Standards of Protocol as they may arise on time to time basis.

There is no Culture. Thought processes change according to certain external norms that are being followed by certain high ranking companies which tomorrow may demote to low levels and then the following company again deviates to another company to follow its norms.

RESULT – No Culture

What derives this culture:-
1) Management with no vision or focus
2) Management just builds up its culture with examples from high ranking companies making good profits in market
Well I have just put in my thoughts on how a corporate culture can be built on. Maybe there are more thoughts attached to it which we all can share.

What I believe is that a great positive Corporate Culture cannot be developed with whatever I have mentioned above. A Great Corporate Culture I think of is:
1) Where All Parties are satisfied
2) Free thought process
3) Need to Know Basis Management Systems
4) Management Parity to Lowest Level