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What Is the Importance of Organizational Culture?

Esther Ejim
Esther Ejim

The main importance of organizational culture is the fact that such a culture, or lack of it, can help determine or shape the success or failure of an organization. Organizational culture refers to the types of activities that go on behind the corporate front of an organization. It is the human elements that drive the services and products that define an organization. The organizational culture is the type of structure or framework that has been put into place in the organization.

An example of organizational culture is the approach to formality in an organization. Some organizations may be less rigid than others in their approach to issues like contact with the top management, dress code, and mode of operation. For instance, an information technology firm known as ABC might be more informal in its general operations than a law firm known as XYZ. While ABC might allow its employees to wear casual clothes like jeans and sneakers to work, XYZ might insist on a rigid form of formal attire like dark suits. The employees at ABC may all have relatively easy access to their CEO and call him or her by first name. On the contrary, those who are lower than lawyers and partners in the hierarchy of XYZ's law firm may not have easy access to the managing partners and may only address them formally.

Organizational culture in companies can help set the tone for employee performance and productivity.
Organizational culture in companies can help set the tone for employee performance and productivity.

Another example that illustrates the importance of organizational culture is the mode of operation. Some organizations may encourage their employees to be individually driven and oriented, while others will encourage their employees to always be part of a team. For instance, insurance companies, banks or other financial institutions may encourage their marketers to be individually driven in their quest to meet financial targets. Each marketer or sales agent may be given a particular territory and a target to fulfill to the exclusion of other sales agents who will also be assigned their own targets and territories.

Organizational culture impacts worker goals and priorities, and how they communicate internally and with customers.
Organizational culture impacts worker goals and priorities, and how they communicate internally and with customers.

Such practices emphasize the importance of organizational culture in organizations because such cultures can help set the tone for employee performance and productivity. Organizational culture does not have one generally applicable concept, since what works for one organization may not work for another. It is up to each organization to figure out what type of culture will suit its goals and encourage the employees to perform optimally.

For instance, XYZ may feel the need to project a strictly formal look because that is the sort of image and culture that suits the serious business of law. They meet with clients who are reassured by the dignified demeanor of the people to whom they entrust their cases. On the other hand, ABC may not be as formal as XYZ because most of their jobs are done behind the scene. Even so, the executives, marketers and workers who conduct deals on behalf of the company might dress more formally than the employees who mainly work behind computers.

Discussion Comments

ddljohn

Organizational culture is probably the most important facet of an organization. It affects everything from structure, values, communication, objectives and ethics.

bear78

I don't think that one type of organization culture is best. Different cultures work for different organizations. And when I say culture, I mean the way that the organization does things. The organization's values, its methods, its strategies.

I work as a civilian in conflict resolution and I interact with many military personnel and civilians on the field. Military people and NGOs are completely the opposite of one another. When we have a meeting, the military people come in full uniform, usually arriving ahead of time. NGOs come in t-shirts and shorts and sometimes stroll in late. But they're both extremely good at what they do and conflict resolution needs the support of both.

It's not important how an organization does things, what's important is that it's effective.

stoneMason

I like organizations that have a flexible organizational cultures. I think that too much formality and rigidity makes team work more difficult and less effective. I think that organizations that are not very bureaucratic and that don't rely on many structural rules are more successful.

Some administrators pride themselves on the fact that their employees are scared of them and can't access them easily. I think this is a terrible way to run an organization. How can employees receive necessary information and share their opinions in such a system? Will operations run smoothly? Will employees even enjoy coming to work?

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    • Organizational culture in companies can help set the tone for employee performance and productivity.
      By: Rido
      Organizational culture in companies can help set the tone for employee performance and productivity.
    • Organizational culture impacts worker goals and priorities, and how they communicate internally and with customers.
      By: opolja
      Organizational culture impacts worker goals and priorities, and how they communicate internally and with customers.