Culture Should Drive the Company
I have read a number of blog posts recently discussing whether or not blogs should be writing about layoffs and other topics related to events taking place in the news. The jury remains out on a final answer.
On the one hand, people like Jim Stroud of The Recruiters Lounge mentioned the “workless” and “the almost homeless”, and Joel Cheeseman of Cheezhead wrote about the “ax falling hard at CareerBuilder“. On the other, Lance Haun of http://yourhrguy.com is saying “I don’t need your 2 cents” about anything but what your competencies are, and Laurie Ruettimann, head shit stirrer at Punk Rock HR wants to blow up HR and focus on talent recruitment and retention.
All of these are worthy perspectives. I have my own: Companies need to focus on their cultures and use the right kinds of values to drive the right kinds of strategies, including recruiting and other aspects of HR, such as employee relations.
Here are some things companies an focus on in building the “right” culture.
- As an organizations faces change and duress, uphold commitments that have been made to your employees.
- Assuming your company has good principles, let your principles define your company culture.
- Principles should guide the way in defining your practices. Practices must be defined to respond appropriately to a business situation, but be defined by the principles.
Key principles for a strong company culture include:
- Defining and following the values of the founders (company history and heritage)
- Demonstrating concern for employees at all times
- Exercise integrity, even during periods of difficulty
- Providing career growth and opportunity
- Providing sustainable employment
- Recognition systems that actually recognize accomplishment
- Ensuring employees share in company success
- Open, transparent communication at all times
- Do the Right Thing!
One Comment on “Company Culture: Doing the Right Thing”
Write a comment
(C) 2008 Ulrich Kerler & Marcus Schiesser Report an issue | Feedback | Privacy Policy | TOS
Posted on 8. December 2008 at 16:04
It is my sense that all of these voices are saying important things. One thing is for sure. My experience suggests that the corporate world is far from where it needs to be. Our challenge may be in how to really understand the competing values (see Robert Quinn, Univ. of Mich) underlying the very foundation of corporate life.
That being said, success depends upon simultaneously 1) acheiving defined goals in the context of the organization’s mission, vision and values, 2) maintaining the organizations culture in keeping with it’s values and dealing congruently with internal and external tensions -Say what you mean and do what you say; Encourage sensemaking and high levels of trust and employee engagement. 3) creating and continually adapting, flexible yet effective structures (organization design, policies and procedures, communication mechanisms, etc. and 4) seeking out and enabling information and knowledge to flow and develop appropriately throughout our organizations.
Somewhere along the way, some organizations really believed they could take short cuts without consequences. You can’t seek the ends without paying attention to the means. You have to look both internally and externally as well as short and long term when assessing your environment and options.
Here are some things that would put “culture” in the context of our businesses.
1) Make mission, vision, and values an organization wide conversation – “Here’s what I think and how I fit into the picture.” And, “This is what I see from where I sit.” “This is what I am hearing out in the community…from my customers…from my patients, etc.”
2) Encourage the organization’s members to define the competencies they need to meet their goals, today and tomorrow. Facilitate “futuretalk” so that insight and foresight can be dynamically harvested in the strategic thinking of the organization. This engages enployees and customers such that energy and motivation drives the development of needed competencies, processes, and innovations.
3) Faciltate action learning as an arena to explore conflict resolution skill development, values and culture reinforcement, leadership development, problem solving and decision making. By successfully addressing “real probelms” in this way the organization also begins to form new ’structures’ by means of informal relationships and networks.
You are correct…Do the Right Thing.