An organization is an association of more than one person or a group of persons who gather and

work for mutual objectives. Every organization has its own culture. Organizational culture has
been defined and studied in many and variety ways. “Culture” refers to the set of key values,
beliefs, understandings, and norms shared by members of an organization. The concept of
culture helps managers understand the hiden, complex assets of organizational life.
Organizational culture refers to the beliefs, ideologies, principles and values that the individuals
of an organization share. This culture is a determining factor in the success of the organization.

Organizational culture consists of shared beliefs and values

established by the organization’s leaders and then communicated and
reinforced through various methods, ultimately shaping employee
perceptions, behaviors and understanding. Simply speaking, a
company’s structure and design can be viewed as its body, and its
culture as its soul. The definition of organizational culture is a shared
set of shared values and norms that characterize a particular
organization. Cutural can be analyzed at two levels including visible
and invisible. Visible artifacts are the things such as manner of dress,
patterns of behavior, physical symbols, organizational ceremonies,
and office layout,… so thay are all the things one can see, hear, and
observe by watching members of organization. By comparison,
invisible value become so deeply embedded in a culture that members
are no longer consiously aware of them. All in all, a strong culture, in
which members agree upon and care intensely about organizational
values, can improve business performance by motivating employees
and coordinating their behavior towards a vision and specific
performance goals that benefit the company.
A variety of experts have provided different models of organizational culture in the literature.
While different, they all agree that organizational culture is a multi-dimensional construct
comprised of a variety of elements. I would like to propose a simple model that consists of
six core elements:

History/Folklore – The early years of a company have an enduring effect on culture. The
early leaders of a company leave a legacy through stories and legends that are passed on
through the years. The tone and message of these stories helps underscore what is valued in
the organization.
Communications/Symbols – Communications are both formal (e.g., employee newsletter)
and informal (what is discussed in the break room). Symbols are communication short cuts
that are usually visual (e.g., placing ample visitor parking next to the main entrance is a
visual symbol of the importance of customers and partners)
Metrics/Rewards/Recognition – What is measured is what matters in an organization.
Likewise, what individuals are recognized and reward for is also a clear indication of what is
important in the organization.
Behavioral Rules/Norms – Behavioral rules evolve over time. These rules define how
individuals are expected to interact with each other and how work should be approached in
the organization. They are typically unspoken or recorded rules that are evident in the day to
day behavior of employees.
Valued Skills – What skills are most evident in senior leaders? What skills are most
important for promotions? These are the skills that are most valued.
Valued Traits – Similarly, what traits are most evident in senior leaders? What traits are
most important for promotions? These are the traits that are most valued.

Typically, companies with a strong culture tend to produce superior

results as compared to those with weaker cultures. Strong culture
leads to ongoing involvement and participation by a company’s
employees, and can predict current and future financial performance.

Developing a high performance company culture is more important

now than ever. It’s not that company culture was ever unimportant,
but it’s quickly proving to be a “necessary” to achieve strong results,
rather than a “nice-to-have.”

For the first time in history, millennials have become the largest
generational cohort in the U.S. workforce, with almost 54 million
making up the labor force. Millennials see the world differently,
necessitating a change in corporate cultural priorities in today’s
workplaces. Boomers typically are loyal and will allow latitude and
flexibility in the workplace, as opposed to Millennials, where a career
means much more than a stable place to work for 25 years and
employees are looking at company values, meaning, community, and
culture.
Working within an organization of values, character and strong
culture will help you be more successful.