Business Culture

A business culture can be loosely defined as the atmosphere that permeates a business. Business culture is a business’ ‘feel’ or how it is sensed. Since we cannot accurately define business culture many owners and managers think it is all hot air. Think again. Just because we cannot define something precisely does not mean it does not exist. (As an example think of the word peace.)

Yet business culture is becoming more recognized as a real business concept. Think of businesses that you know. Do these businesses have a ‘feel’ about them? Is this ‘feel’ positive or negative? There is something to business culture. The following are some observations about business culture:

1. If you do not know how your business culture is perceived, ask your employees.
   
2. If you do not believe your employees ask your customers.
3. Look at your people throughout the day. Are they smiling?
   
4. Good employees do not want to work in a bad business culture. Minimal employees do not care. If the culture is bad enough even good employees won’t care.
   
5. Employees take pride in working in a business with a good ‘feel.’ It makes them feel welcome and a part of the business. A good ‘feel’ motivates employees to a higher level of commitment.
6. If you have difficulty hiring good people think about your ‘draw’ potential. It may be your business culture is unappealing.
   
7. Management has the responsibility for developing a good business culture. Management is often responsible for developing and keeping a bad business culture.
8. A good business culture promotes high productivity. High productivity is very difficult in a bad business culture. Employees feel that in a bad business culture no one cares so why should they?
   
9. A bad business culture develops a bad reputation. For obvious reasons most businesses would prefer to not have a bad reputation. Bad business culture is often more visible to outsiders. Insiders have often adjusted to the status quo.
10. Vendors, associates and other non-customers can also spread the word about bad business cultures.
11. Customers see bad culture. Clearly. The employee frowns, the bad attitudes, the grumpiness, the stress and strain, neglect of phones, bad manners, etc. If given a choice they will chose to go elsewhere.

Just because we cannot define or measure business culture does not mean it does not exist. We humans are cultural beings and we do not normally live in isolation. Most humans have a sense of intuition that feeds perception. Perception often becomes reality.

Owners and managers that ignore the cultural aspect of business are making their jobs much more difficult.