Corporate culture: tradition and the present day

What is corporate culture? It is more than just these superficial things that catch our eye when we first encounter a company, like the company’s logo and the style of the staff’s clothes. The roots of corporate culture are those ideas, opinions and fundamental values that unite the members of an organization and let them work together effectively.

The most important thing that a manager can do to establish a corporate culture is to define the company’s most significant values. There are foreign companies that have a very clearly defined set of such values that are made available to everyone. For instance, when you enter the offices of Johnson & Johnson you see a big board on which the main principles of the organization are laid out. Here are some examples of statements on corporate culture found in another company’s brochure: “The most important thing in our company is our clients. We value flexibility and disposition to innovation. We uphold equal opportunities.” Such a document helps new staff members adapt to the corporate culture of the company and gives general guidelines for action to everyone who already works there.

Traditionally, corporate culture has been particularly strictly defined in the financial world: right up to the color of clothes and the way of wearing make-up and accessories.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of newly created firms don’t have a focused corporate culture.

It is notable that companies with clearly expressed corporate culture are much more effective in their use of HR. Corporate culture is one of the most effective means of attracting and motivating staff. Appealing to a person’s desire to identify him or herself with a group of people and the company is one of the strongest means of motivating an individual.

However, adapting to an existing corporate culture can be one of the most complicated things about starting a new job. As a rule, the main source of help is the HR/ personnel manager of the company. Some companies even go further and offer adaptation training. One and the same candidate can make a totally different impression at different companies. What is actually the reason for such performance? To some extent, of course, it has to do with whether or not the candidate has the required professional qualities and qualifications. However, the interaction between the company’s corporate culture and the individual’s personal traits of character also plays a big part.

For example, in the case of a certain Western company, all candidates being interviewed for any vacancy were told about the company’s traditions and how social interactions within the company usually took place. It was worth mentioning that for some the company’s specific corporate culture provided additional motivation, while others regarded it as a negative factor. Only those who could fit into the corporate culture began to work there and, in most cases, they stayed for a long time.

It goes without saying that all traditions are different. The same can be applicable to corporate culture. The most important thing for a company is just to create the corporate culture that suits it.

 

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                  ЧТО ТАКОЕ КОРПОРАТИВНАЯ КУЛЬТУРА?