...Communication Culture In The Workplace David Jimenez BCOM/275 May 27, 2014 - July 1, 2014 Tracy Foote Communication Culture In The Workplace My previous employer, SAIC, was a great place to work, depending on the division, and I worked for two. What I noticed was leadership from division to division played a huge role in the dynamics of the workforce. The first division I worked for was designing, engineering, and assembling communication systems for the US Navy. The leadership was made up almost exclusively of retired or former military. The culture was a nice blend of the military type rules and regulations, coupled with the freedom that allowed each of us the room to make mistakes and not be humiliated by our supervisors. My second division was a little different experience. We were contracted to work overseas in Afghanistan and Kuwait. The fact that we operated in a war zone made things a bit different from the start. Leadership consisted of 100% retired military and our culture was very much like being back in uniform. Now, in both divisions we followed the same CREDO and SAIC Policy book, but the approach to these guidelines was very different. In one division I felt empowered and part of a Team I could contribute to on a daily basis. The other division created an atmosphere that upward mobility was not an option. SAIC created its very own intranet they called, ISSAIC. SAIC adapted ISSAIC as the primary channel to communicate with the workforce. Through...
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...The Role of Culture in the Workplace Anne Marre S. Bautista The Chicago School of Professional Psychology The Role of Culture in the Workplace Culture is a crucial factor of human behavior. Over the last decade, culture has become a hot topic in organizations because of the explosive rise in the ethnic diversity in work places. This increase in cultural diversity comes with consequences which have resulted in the emergence of a need to build cross-cultural competencies among personnel in order to create work places that allow all employees to perform at the optimal capacity without being marginalized and made to fell incompetent or in adequate based on their cultural background and behavior norms, values and beliefs. Cultural differences within organizations can lead to challenges such as conflict and poor performance. Understanding the role of culture diversity in the workplace is important for organizations searching to build a competitive edge in the global market. This paper addresses the role of culture diversity on motivation and conflict within organizations. These issues were first revealed to me when I was 18 years old, and I got a job as a sales associate. I only worked there for two months. But I only needed two months to witness the role of culture in a workplace. I was one of the very few Asian associates. The other Asian was a Chinese young woman called Stephanie (pseudonym). The workers were predominantly Caucasians as well as were the clients who were...
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...Understanding Culture Diversity in the Workplace Diversity in the workplace refers to the variety of differences in people in the work environment. It is very important to understand cultural, ethnic, and gender differences by managers and professionals in a business setting these days. Majority of firms and companies have come to realize that staffs from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds as well as different gender bring a great deal of valuable perspectives in any business environment. The importance of understanding cultural, ethnic and gender differences by managers and professionals in a business setting is essential to make the work environment comfortable. In every culture, there are basic standards of thinking, and acting and these cultural differences strongly influence workplace values and communication. What one considers acceptable and natural in the workplace for one person may be unacceptable for another person. Diversity in the workplace can be beneficial as well as challenging. Respecting individuals and their differences can increase productivity. It could also reduce lawsuits, increase opportunities and the business’s image (Esty, 1995). On the other hand, some negative behaviors in the workplace may include prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination, which should never be a practice by management for hiring, retention, and termination practices. Negative behaviors can be barriers to organizational diversity because it can harm working relationships...
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...Importance of Understanding Culture Diversity in the Workplace Jennifer Schulz Devry University Cultural Diversity in the Professions SOCS350 William Tutol January 10, 2014 Importance of Understanding Culture Diversity in the Workplace In business today it is important to have a diverse group of employees in the workplace. Our textbook defines diversity as real or perceived differences among people in race, ethnicity, sex, age, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, religion, work and family status, weight and appearance, and other identity-based attributes that affect their interactions and relationships (Bell, 2012, p. 5). It is very important to understand the cultural, ethnical, and gender differences by professionals and management in the workforce in this day and age. If an organization develops a reputation for valuing all types of employees, it will become known as an employer of choice, in which workers from all backgrounds feel they have the opportunity to work, grow, and be treated fairly (Bell, 2012, p. 4). By being diverse in its employees, a business has a better opportunity for new ideas and growth potential and less likely to be stymied. Despite extraordinary corporate and media attention paid to diversity in the past thirty years, discrimination, inequality, and exclusion persist in organizations (Bell, 2012, p. 4). As discussed this week in class, when the department head turned down the Jamaican friend for the position, even though he seemed...
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...4/12/13 Developing a Culture-Based Workforce: Top Healthcare Workplaces Share Best Practices | Hospital Management & Administration Developing a Culture-Based Workforce: Top Healthcare Workplaces Share Best Practices Written by Heather Punke | March 22, 2013 There no doubt are many factors that go into making a hospital or health system a great place to work, but one of the fundamentals is hiring and retaining excellent, motivated employees. Employees who enjoy coming to work and interacting with patients, visitors and each other help perpetuate a positive workplace culture and make a hospital or health system a great place to be for everyone. The following are five best practices for building up a culturally unified, team-oriented employee base. 1. Establish an employee culture and hire based on fit. When a hospital or health system brings on new employees, ensuring they fit culturally is just as important as making sure they have the clinical or technical competency necessary to succeed in an organization. Therefore, it makes sense for hospitals and systems to vocalize their values and incorporate culture into the interviewing process. "We hire for attitude and how they fit, not just that they have experience or a certain license," says Vic Buzachero, corporate senior vice president for innovation, human resources and performance management at Scripps Health in San Diego. Scripps' culture is driven by its values of respect, quality and efficiency, according to Mr....
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...Morganson et al discuss the role of coping strategies in retaining women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors in college. The authors posited that coping strategies help women to deal with the often “chilly” atmosphere present in STEM majors and “overcome barriers and mitigate stress at various stages in one’s career path.” Morganson et al use a definition of coping as “a tool that enables individuals to deal with challenges and problems in their environments (Folkman & Moskowitz, 2004). (Morganson et al, 2010) Morganson et al found that men typically use coping mechanisms such as attempting to change or ignoring the stressor while women utilize social support coping more frequently (Tamres et al, 2002; Carver et al, 1989). Women are traditionally seen as being more “communal and relationship-oriented” than men, and will more commonly look “to others for emotional support as a way of dealing with challenges and seeking aid from others to overcome stressors (Carver et al, 1989). Different coping strategies work differently depending on the gender of the person using them. (Morganson et al, 2010) Morganson et al conducted a survey of college students in STEM majors to link the use of different coping mechanisms to turnover intent and academic performance. In agreement with their research, the authors found that women used social coping more than men did, and that, for women, social coping was positively correlated to commitment to one’s major...
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...The Topic: Workplace Culture vs Education Culture. Facts: Vivian is having difficulties coping with her workplace requirements and demands. She strongly believes good grades from her diploma programme will lead her to a successful career. However this is not the case for her and many fresh graduates at the start of their career. Ideas: Workplace culture and education culture relevance to a successful career. Introduction: Culture defines a feature of a person's identity, contributing to how they see themselves and the groups with which they identify. Thus culture is formed through a set of common values, attitudes, beliefs and norms that can be defined by an individual or a group of people; some of which are straightforward and some of which are not [Brown, R, 2004]. An individual understanding of its own and others' cultural identity develops from birth and is shaped by the values and attitudes present at home and in the surrounding community. One’s identity becomes more complicated and fluid through time when people develop loyalty to different groups within the broader society. At the same time, cultures themselves are not stagnant but develop and change as the belief systems and ways of life of different groups adapt under other cultural influences including mass media and popular culture to create new identities. With reference to the problem scenario, Vivian understanding on education values and workplace expectations perspectives are inter-related due to the...
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...and quoted with acknowledgement. ISBN No: 0-9582233-4-3 Equal Employment Opportunities Trust PO Box 12929 Penrose Auckland New Zealand Phone: 64 9 525 3023 Fax: 64 9 525 7076 Table of Contents Preface 3 Executive summary 4 1.0 Introduction 6 2.0 Definitions and evidence of relationships 6 2.1 Work-life balance 6 2.1.1 Productivity 7 2.1.2 Relationship between work-life balance and productivity 8 2.2 Workplace/work-life culture 11 2.2.1 Relationship between work-life balance and workplace culture 12 2.3 Discretionary effort and employee engagement: going the extra mile 16 2.3.1 Relationship between discretionary effort/employee engagement and productivity/profitability 20 2.3.2 Relationship between work-life balance and discretionary effort 21 2.3.3 Relationship between workplace culture and discretionary effort 23 2.4 Summary of inter-relationships of key factors 24 3.0 Changing a workplace culture 26 3.1 Case studies of culture change 27 4.0 Conclusion 29 5.0 References 30 Preface Employee engagement has been identified as critical to competitive advantage in a labour market where skilled, committed people are increasingly hard to find and keep. Many of the factors that impact on employee engagement have been identified, or at least speculated on. In this exploratory research, the EEO Trust investigates whether supporting work-life balance results in a more engaged workforce...
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...one another through culture beliefs. Since humans spread throughout the world, unions have separated from each other. Stories of humans emerging to the United States became different throughout many ethnic communities. According to Schaefer (2011), the of diversity features in the United States include, ethnicity, age, race, martial status, religious beliefs, gender, and even appearances(Chapter 1, Ethnic Groups). Racial groups socially set themselves apart because of physical differences, and each society defines what it finds obvious. In the United States skin color is one of the obvious differences. Communities today have a more elaborate system of classification, in the United States hostility between races became higher than expected. Ethnic groups set apart from others because of national origin or distinctive culture patterns. Hispanics, Puerto Rican, African American, and Cubans describe some ethnic groups in America. The culture traits which made diversity exclusive originated from lands of segregation(Harvey, "Section I," 2009). With what ethnic, cultural, or other groups do you identify? Describe what members of your social circle have in common The ethnic group in which one belongs to is African American. One of the minority groups in America is African Americans. Being born in New York city exposed one to more than one culture. Immigrants migrated to New York when they came to America, so cultures started to mix with one another. The cultures identified throughout...
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...Religious Diversification Today Religious diversification in the workplace is an issue employers will always face. Management of this diversity is necessary so that employees can reach their full potential, maximize productivity, and create a positive work environment by which everybody is accommodated. By understanding the positives and negatives of having religion and spirituality in the workplace, it is clear that there are advantages and disadvantages. Positive aspects of integrating religion or spirituality into the workplace may include improved worker performance and better relationships between management and employees. There are disadvantages as well, such as discrimination, and resistance to religious culture, which can reduce productivity and may lead to legal issues. Law and Regulation The most common way a company integrates religious views into their work place would depend if the company were public or privately held. For example, if the CEO of a private organization was Christian there might be rules for allowing extra prayer time at the work. Under federal law, regarding religious expression in private work areas, “Employees should be permitted to engage in private religious expression in personal work areas not regularly open to the public”(Earp, 2008). Publicly held organizations must allow for prayer during the day and if the other employees are atheist or another religion they must be respectful. As long as work is being completed during work hours all...
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...0 Organisational Culture 3 3.0 Theoretical Framework Used 5 4.0 Reason for Using Schein’s Framework 6 5.0 Analysis of Apple’s Workplace Design 8 6.0 Conclusion 11 7.0 References 13 8.0 Appendix 16 1.0 Introduction Apple Inc was found by Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne in 1976. Apple is a successful and well-known company that designs, creates and produces consumer electronics, computer software and personal computers. Apple is also well recognised for the used of technology that is cutting edge and the innovation that take place on the products. Macintosh computers, iPhone, iPod and iPad are the best-known hardware products of Apple. As the slogan that used in the advertising in 1997, “Think Different” and Steve Job’s creativity and passion in making innovation and differentiate the products from competitors has been the culture of Apple. The leadership of Steven Jobs and the culture that embedded inside the company have drive the success of Apple and become the market leader. As culture informs success and leadership drives culture (Elliot, 2012). 2.0 Focus of Report on Culture on Organisation Practice Nowadays, it has been recognised that different organisations have distinctive culture that embedded in the organisation. Every organisation has the unique cultures that makes it different from the other organisation and give people a sense of direction in achieving the goal. Therefore, it is essential to understand the culture of organisation....
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...Motivation and Organizational Culture Paper May 19, 2012 The role of management in the workplace is a significant part of ensuring the quality of service. The management team should try to help the employees to stay clear from negative issues within the workplace. When issues arise that involve negative issues they should be handled in a professional manner at once so that it does not turn in to something much bigger. The manager’s top responsibility is to ensure that the environment within the workplace is safe and neutral. Other responsibilities for the management team would be to resolve problems as they arise, he or she should not show favoritism, promote effective communication, and help to provide a workplace that is mentally safe for all employees. An effective leader will uphold authority and will have a great affect on others. An effective manager would encourage self-confidence within employees, the will to achieve in the task being done, honesty, and integrity. When the management teams focuses on promoting these positive ethics within the workplace the employees seem to come together as a team with the final result being an effective workplace. Ayame Nakamura, a Japanese immigrant works as a project manager for a pharmaceutical company in California. The management style for this pharmaceutical is confrontational, which interferes with Ayame’s cultural background. People from different cultures are subject to a variety of emotions and actions...
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...companies in America and a cross the world that is diverse culturally. So, how does Starbucks utilize its cultural intelligence to increase the awareness of diversity in the workplace? Is workplace diversity important to employees at Starbucks? Starbucks’ believe that to operate successfully in a global marketplace, embracing diversity in every aspect of their business is absolutely essential (www.starbucks.com). Diversity is something that brings everyone together, race, gender, religion, cultural background, experience etc… Diverse workplaces do the same as well, learning from one another and being able to work in an environment with different ethnicities. Diversity brings opportunities within the organization and the learning capability increase from the many cultures. By Starbucks being a global corporation, the company has to maintain their diversity not just for the workplace but also for the community. In this paper I will describe and explain the foundation of Starbucks Company, and how diversity is implemented in the workplace. I will also discuss how diversity is implemented in my work organization and my opinion of the importance of diversity in a workplace. With supportive documentation that will explain the how effective diversity is in the workplace and how it Starbucks is known for their workplace diversity. Introduction Starbucks was founded in 1971, in Seattle historic Pike Market, just selling coffee beans, the founders of Starbucks were Jerry Baldwin, Gordon...
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...Organizational behavior process in the workplace includes knowledge of the understanding of perception and its link to learning, emotions and attitude, and organizational culture. With perception and learning these two primary activities in human behavior are important aspects in the workplace. These elements are always around us; how one is perceived is a major factor in the workplace. In society there is a process on how we break ourselves and others down by belonging to different societal groups like culture, gender, or profession. Human being inherently want to feel good about themselves even in the workplace and associate with the groups that tend to make them feel that way. Through the use of interactive learning tools such as training, meaningful interaction, and accountability employers are minimizing the biasing effects of stereotyping and making to wrong judgments based on perception. “Organizing people and objects into preconceived categories that are stored in our long term memory” (McShane & Von Glinow, 2010, p.70). A final perceptual activity about a person can influences their behavior to act in a consistent manner with those beliefs. There are perceptual errors found in the workplace which managers must strive to minimize perceptual biases by improving perceptions through empathy and self-awareness. There are three fundamental ways in which we learn: behavior modification which is learning through reinforcement, social learning theory which is learning...
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...of the different cultures. This can help a paralegal to better understand and approach cases in a better way from the different types of perspectives. If a paralegal or any professional in the legal career world can argue the law from different views of cultures, this can be an essential part of our responsibility to serve our clientele. Effective knowledge of cultures will help you to better understand your different types of employees, employers, and clientele and give you a better understanding of the facts and surroundings of the legal matter. With a growing multicultural environment, it is very crucial for a legal professional to incur effective relationships with their co-workers and clients and gasp their needs. This could mean culturally too. Having a great understanding of both your employees and clientele base would create an effective workplace and help to communicate better with one another. It can also help you to gain the trust of others. Multicultural knowledge in the workplace will also help a person to understand and see the differences and similarities between a professional and a client. This will help the professional to get a better understanding of the case and help them to figure out the best way to help that specific client. Some benefits of diversity in a workplace with different cultures would be the success and competitiveness and the ability to embrace the different cultures and learning ways. With the different cultures in the legal...
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