How can you tell the culture in an organization?
Learning the culture of an organization is important for your career.
The organizational cultures are like the beauty of roses; it’s to see how they unfold over time. It is very hard to imagine their true faces before you become one with them.
Any organization, big or small, has a culture that may not be easy to understand by outsiders (those outside the organization) no matter how good their intentions are.
A company’s culture is more than its mission and vision statements, employee handbooks, and daily practices. It is not about how employees dress or what they say to each other. These things may be signs of the company’s culture, but they are not the culture itself.
The work environment of an organization can tell you a lot about the business. If general office space is crowded or there are general signs of disorganization, it’s likely that people in the company are not very detail-oriented. It is also common to see employees wearing casual clothing in this type of environment, which may signal that people are more interested in comfort than looking professional.
If employees take their jobs very seriously and seem to be driven and dedicated, it’s fairly safe to assume that they value professionalism, efficiency, and productivity.
The use of jargon or slang in everyday office communications is another clue about the culture. For example, an investor relations department might use financial terms all day long with other departments may not understand them. That’s a strong indicator that people …