Do members of the organization have the resources and authority to do a good job? Do employees have fun? Are they encouraged to be creative? Is there a spirit of cooperation or competition among team members? What criteria are used to evaluate employee performance?

Organizations Are Cultures

Organizations have cultures that can be just as distinctive as those of larger societies. Organizational culture reflects a relatively stable, shared set of values and behavioral rules within a company (Alvesson, 2011). In everyday language, culture is the insiders’ view of “the way things are around here.” Not all the rules and values of an organization
are written down. And some that are written down aren’t actually followed. Perhaps the workday officially ends at 5 p.m., but you quickly notice that most people stay until at least 6:30. That says something about the culture. Because you’re likely to spend as much time at work as you do in personal relationships, selecting the right organization is as important as choosing a best friend. Research shows that we are likely to enjoy our jobs and do them well if we believe that the organization’s values reflect our own and are consistently and fairly applied (Hartnell et al., 2011).
For example, some companies reward team members for offering great customer service without exception. On the other hand, a boss who talks about customer service but violates those principles may cultivate a culture of cynicism and dissatisfaction.Ask yourself these questions when considering whether a specific organization’s culture is a good fit for you. (Notice the importance of communication in each case.)
• How does the organization present itself online?
• Do members of the organization have the resources and authority to do a good job?
• Do employees have fun? Are they encouraged to be creative?
• Is there a spirit of cooperation or competition among team members?
• What criteria are used to evaluate employee performance?
• What happens during meetings? Is communication open or highly scripted?
• How often do people leave their jobs to work somewhere else?
• Do leaders make a point of listening, respecting, and collaborating with employees?
• Do people use their time productively, or are they bogged down with inefficient procedures or office politics?

Research suggests that communication—even seemingly unimportant small talk (Mak & Chui, 2013)—is the vehicle through which we both create and embody culture. At a personal and organizational level, effective, consistent, value-based communication is essential to success