The Effects of Organizational Culture on Workplace Dynamics

Organizational culture refers to the sum total of the values, beliefs, and patterns of activities in an organization that determines the behavior of the people in an organization. Individuals relate this culture in several facets regarding the employees’ contentment and productivity within the organization. Recognizing these impacts benefits can assist companies to develop a more appropriate organizational culture and enhance the achievement of organization objectives.

For instance, organizational culture affects the employees’ morale and motivation or lack of it. Hence, care and support fostered to the employees yields higher job performance out of the selves^[1]. Regarding the culture, Google encourages its employees’ creativity and controls their working hours, provides them with health programs and opportunities for improvement. This approach has resulted in high employee satisfaction and productivity. Conversely, a negative culture can lead to low morale and high turnover rates, as seen in companies with rigid and unsupportive environments.

Furthermore, the way communication happens within a company is heavily influenced by its culture. In organizations where openness and transparency are encouraged, employees feel more comfortable sharing ideas and feedback. Zappos, known for its open communication culture, has benefited from high employee engagement and customer satisfaction^[2]. In contrast, companies with strict hierarchical structures often face communication barriers that can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts.

Additionally, organizational culture shapes the behavior and decision-making processes of employees. A strong culture with clear values can guide employees in their daily tasks and long-term goals. Patagonia’s commitment to environmental sustainability, for instance, influences its employees to incorporate eco-friendly practices into their work^[3]. The union of personal and the firm’s values supports workability of organizational culture through the tone of staff unity and possession.

Also, the leadership that is adopted in a firm mirrors its culture to an extent, in the process. In a culture that expects leaders to be inventive and willing to take risks, which at Amazon can hardly be complained about, creative and innovative approaches will be welcomed. This has made it of strategic value to examine the culture that Amazon has fostered, particularly because its culture has made it possible for it to grow at a faster rate and expand into new markets^[4]. In contrast, the hi-power cultural orientation may constrain ideas, and potential rewards since it is anchored on controlling risks.

Concerning the impact of organizational culture on employees, it was found that it also has a negative influence on well-being and mental health. This means that when an organization adopts a culture that fosters support, this will help to minimize stress levels and improve the employees’ feelings of being valued and held in high regard. Having established a progressive approach to the matters of diversity and inclusion, Microsoft company has provided its employees with more support, creating a proper workplace mental health^[5]. On the other hand, a culture or an environment of intense work pressure and competition sap the energy away from the individuals and even affect their mental health.

Culture has a vital impact in organization for it determines different aspects with regard to working environment such as employee behavior and motivation, communication, leadership and issues surrounding mental health. Allying and healthy organizational cultures such as those at Google, Zappos, Patagonia, Amazon and Microsoft show how effective it is to encourage healthy reinforcement and culture match. Given that culture as an independent variable affects levels of organizational commitment, better organizational culture directly contributes to increased satisfaction, productivity, and overall organizational effectiveness.

1. Ghani, B., Hyder, S. I., Yoo, S., & Han, H. (2023). Does employee engagement promote innovation? The Facilitators of innovative workplace behavior via mediation and moderation. Heliyon, 9(11), e21817. ↑

2. Zhou, W. (2023). Adapting to Change: Exploring Zappos’ Self-Management Structure and Its Impact on Innovation and Cultural Diversity. Modern Economy, 14(03), 293-304. ↑

3. Cohune, L. (2019). Stepping Lightly: A Case Study on Patagonia's Corporate Environmental and Social Responsibility Marketing Strategy. ↑

4. Tou, Y., Watanabe, C., Moriya, K., Naveed, N., Vurpillat, V., & Neittaanmäki, P. (2019). The transformation of R&D into neo-open innovation, a new concept in R&D endeavor, triggered by Amazon. Technology in Society, 58, 101141. ↑

5. Yang, L., Holtz, D., Jaffe, S., Suri, S., Sinha, S., Weston, J., ... & Teevan, J. (2022). " The effects of remote work on collaboration among information workers": Author correction. ↑