In my career, ranging from public to private sector, federal bureaucracy to post-secondary education, I have seen a number of organizational cultures at play. I’ve witnessed strong, healthy cultures creating positive forces within a workplace. Other organizations lured workers with the prestige associated with working there, but once in the door, the competitive and toxic culture hit you like a cold draft on a winter day.
Organizations often try to brand their culture from within, especially in today’s labour market, where staff shortages plague many teams. This can be seen in their vision or mission statement or in a strategic plan that defines metrics for measuring progress. The truth is, the reality on the ground is rarely captured in these statements or defined by them. What matters is the day-to-day stuff – how people show up in the face of adversity, how teams address challenges and how they celebrate successes. The way management values employees in practice, and how achievements, however small, are recognized. What it takes to get promoted within the organization. These are just some indicators of actual workplace culture.
“When the image that an organization is projecting does not align with its actual organizational culture, there is a lack of what is termed ‘crystallization.'”
One of my first jobs was at a local sandwich shop. Their motto was: When you visit any of our locations, you’re always greeted with a friendly smile, and made to feel like you’re part of the family. I never felt like part of the family, not as a customer nor as an employee. Instead, I saw favouritism and competitiveness at play. I moved on quickly.
When the image that an organization is projecting does not align with its actual organizational culture, there is a lack of what is termed “crystallization.” According to Jennifer A. Chatman, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and professor of management with the Haas Management of Organizations Group at UC Berkeley, “Strong organizational values are both intensely held and widely shared.” A new employee may spot such a gap between the values on paper and those embedded in the organizational culture gradually, and perhaps too late, once they have committed to the position.
For career development professionals working with clients who have experienced various levels of satisfaction within their organizations in the past, the challenge is to support them in getting an accurate picture of potential workplace cultures, before they commit to a new position. This is not always possible. However, encouraging clients to find clarity from within about their own values and how these transfer into the type of organizational culture they can thrive in will improve their chances of success during their next transition.
A disconnect between what an organization preaches, and the actual experience of its employees, is an indication of troubled waters. Here are four questions to help navigate this critical measure when in job search mode and once hired.
1. How is the organization’s culture presented in the job posting?
I recently came across a job posting promoting its flexible work environment. However, the organization’s approach to flexibility was not aligned with its messaging to potential recruits. When flexibility is presented as an organizational value, applicants expect flexibility. Once the new hire realizes that the work environment is rigid and takes note of the general climate of distrust within the organization, they move on. To avoid this pitfall, candidates should ask interviewers about those values and for examples of how they are applied in practice. They should take note of the responses and the body language of the interviewers.
2. How is employee feedback collected and presented?
Surveys are a great tool for collecting feedback from employees, which can help shape the values of an organization. However, if the survey is conducted internally, lacking anonymity, do employees really feel at ease to be honest in their responses? At the very least, administrators must ensure anonymity. As outlined in the Harvard Business Review, employees will be more likely to respond “if they are confident that personal anonymity is guaranteed.” Moreover, when results are presented, do they provide a complete picture, or is the positive commentary emphasized and the negative feedback ignored or swept under the rug? An employer that celebrates an 85% employee satisfaction rate, without mentioning that no more than 40% of employees responded to the survey, presents a red flag.
3. What are the stories that make up the organization?
Ask people within the organization about what matters to them and to their teams. What are they proud of? What stands in the way of their goals? If they could improve something about the culture of the organization, what would it be?
Organizations are composed of human beings, with personalities, experiences and values that differ, and yet they must come together to advance the goals of the organization – no small feat. Defining a culture cannot be done in isolation, from the top, without an understanding of the landscape on the ground.
4. How does the organization encourage connection?
As we turn a new leaf and learn to move forward after the pandemic, more and more employees are back in the office, at least part of the time. There is a recognition, at least among progressive leaders, that the way we were used to working has undergone a disruption and certain benefits have emerged. In many cases, employees have experienced a forced return to the office after finding productive ways of managing their workload for two years while working from home.
It’s admittedly difficult to create a workplace culture with everyone working remotely all of the time. The benefits of in-person communication are invaluable. It’s difficult to build trust with colleagues when all encounters take place over Microsoft Teams. However, nobody wants to come in to find empty offices or doors closed while people are in online meetings. Yet employers need to be intentional about how they bring people together. Notice how the organization tries to build those connections. Try to get a sense of whether the dominant attitude rests solely on getting employees back on site out of fear that the work will not get done.
