Organization Culture

orgaIn the social sector, organizational culture can make or break an employee’s ability to succeed at and be satisfied in a role. However, organizational culture is often difficult to assess because its definition relies on many aspects of an organization, some of which are not always easily accessible to prospective employees. This article aims to demystify organizational culture, and suggest some ways that jobseekers can evaluate cultural fit throughout the application and interview process.   

What Factors Define Organizational Culture?

Organization culture is characterized by the attitudes, experiences, beliefs and values of an entire organization. In the nonprofit world, an organization’s culture is closely tied to its mission and programs.  The attributes of an organization’s culture can be tangible, such as dress code or physical work environments, or intangible, such as shared values and definitions of success.  Some factors that define organizational culture are: 

* Mission connect – This involves the level of importance of staff commitment to the organization’s mission.  Additionally, it includes how individual staff members contribute to the advancement of the mission.

* Leadership/management styles – The way that staff is managed and the emphasis on leadership in that organization. This also includes the ways decisions are made and problems are solved, whether collaboratively, individually, or with some combination.

* Reporting structure – The way the organization is arranged in terms of hierarchy.  This could mean a tiered or flat system of reporting.

* Language and communication - The internal language or terms used and understood by staff.  Also, specific terms or key messages the organization uses in external communication, as well as general communication style. 

* Physical work environment – The space that the organization occupies, such as offices, cubicles, or open workspaces, and common areas like reception, a...