We just recently discussed why developing a strong company culture is a must in order to attain success. Now, we will look through how exactly to observe and analyze your current organizational culture so that you can determine whether it is running smoothly or if it needs to be rectified.
General Observations
The easiest way to analyze your organization’s culture is by simply observing the workplace. Take a few walks around the office and share conversations with employees to truly get a sense of the culture in action. From these walks, you can ask yourself a few questions:
- What do people’s desks look like?
- How are the spaces allocated?
- What kind of interactions do people have with each other? Colleagues among each other? Junior staff to senior management?
- What time do your employees usually leave the office?
- How are the common spaces (conference rooms, pantries, etc.) being used?
These observations may sometimes best express what your employees may be hesitant to say directly. The people’s general demeanor can be very revelatory. You can gain a sense of their overall productivity, engagement and happiness (or lack thereof) just by observing them.
Take a step back to determine if the present culture is still aligned with your vision and mission. The vision and mission ought to be fundamental and cemented in your and your employee’s actions. If you feel like these values are being compromised, even if it is for the sake of “profit”, then there should be a shift made to get back on track. Your organization’s core values and principles are what set you apart from other organizations and it is crucial to maintain them. They cease being valuable when they are being compromised.
Surveys and Interviews
Your employees are the true barometer to know what your company culture is like. They are the ones who both live it everyday and who experience it firsthand. The culture ought to be at the service of your employees. You should always strive to be a people-first company and your team’s well-being should be placed at the forefront.
Consider hosting surveys regularly so you can learn if your employees love working in the organization, how they view their jobs and each other, what they think of their career growth, if they feel like they are being compensated well, and if they believe they are producing value to the company.
If you feel like there is some problems in your culture, surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions can help get to the root of the problem. To create the most effective evaluation tools, ensure that you do not ask leading questions or make respondents feel that there are right or wrong answers. Total honesty is important in order for you to effectively analyze the culture and come up with solutions if there are problems.
Need help with assessing your culture? Contact Optimum Source to help with your company’s organizational development. Optimum Source has considerable experience in Human Resource management and has helped many organizations improve their culture and other structural concerns.
-NH-