The attitudes and behavior of employees reflects the environment created for them to work in every day. However, when assessing a company culture, management may view it remotely, dispassionately, like a problem in the distance that needs to be observed, analyzed, and fixed.
But the tougher truth is that one’s culture is a reflection of the ones who are looking. Management policies and practices create the behavioral ecosystem that fosters employee attitudes. The downstream effect of those policies create a culture that is either positive and uplifting for everyone, or negative and draining for everyone.
In other words, the employee culture — good, bad, or indifferent — is something of a self-portrait. Coming to that essential recognition is important because it prevents “blame assignment” onto employees where it doesn’t belong. A poor culture may seem like the problem, but it actually only reflects the problem.
The atmosphere observed is fostered either by the presence of something, or the absence of something. Are there internal policies and procedures perceived as arduous, unfair, or burdensome? Or maybe there are very simple things that can be done for and with employees that can make a huge difference in their daily routines. This alone can impact their attitudes about coming to work every day, being a productive team member, and pulling together as a team.
The take-home message is simple. We can’t draw a line from A to B, from a counterproductive culture to a vibrant healthy one, without first recognizing where the problem is, and where it is not. What’s needed in this case, is just a little self-reflection.
