Many people look at organizational culture as the glue that creates strong bonds within a given workplace.
However, the diversity of opinions in every office environment means that any decision enforced will have push back. Even if you decide to institute a company wide gifting policy – there are those who will be unhappy and want a different way.
Responses often differ depending on how company missives resonate with each person’s own individual value systems.
So how do you create unity in an increasingly diverse workforce?
The key is to understand and begin to dissect what organizational culture truly is.
1. Culture creates patterns
While organizational culture is constantly evolving, observable patterns of behavior usually stay fairly consistent. Once these uniformities are identified, rational expectations can then be hedged against them in order to create stability.
2. Culture is collaborative
In a thriving office environment, culture is a shared awareness that culminates out of varying perspectives. Great office culture can serve to engage and entice staff to come together despite differences in opinions, values and background.
3. Culture institutes meaning
In an environment fraught with variables, cultivating unity provides meaning and stability. It provides answers to underlying questions, thereby creating an environment of transparency and trust.
4. Culture establishes boundaries
The evolution of an organization is upheld through social sanctions that are dictated by culture. Hiring, on-boarding, incentives and all operations can and should function through the lens of a carefully constructed office culture.
5. Culture evolves
Culture should never be stagnant. The optimal state of any company climate should always be evolving to meet both the needs of the organization and it’s people.
It’s important to actively cultivate workplace climate within the broad scope of the company mission and goals. But it’s also crucial to understand the overarching capacity of culture and how it can be structured to meet varying needs. In doing so, you can create an atmosphere of togetherness and shared ambition, which will go a long way towards solidarity.