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In the start, every company aims for a positive and nurturing culture where employees would be able to achieve new heights and they would be able to contribute to the success of the company in a harmonious and peaceful way but only a handful of organizations are able to achieve such a culture.
The companies that design and plan everything from the start have a positive culture where the employees are enjoying their stays but if nothing is planned or designed the culture will start to appear on its own based on the people working in the company and how they choose to get things done, which usually creates a damaged culture because most of the times, things in such companies get done via insults, threats, of influences, which isn’t healthy for the growth of a company.
To know whether your company has a damaging culture or not, here are some signs that might be useful:
Top-Down Management
If your company has top-down management then it is a sign of damaged culture inside your company. It is a type of management style in which the administration or the managers give orders to the employees with little input from others. The employees are given information as required and there is no space for the employees to have any sort of open conversation regarding the issues they are facing or with their superiors.
This type of management involves the superiors giving orders to juniors and forcing them to keep their mouths shut even when they know that something is not right.
Employees Working Alone
If your company has a system of employees working alone then it might be another sign of a damaging culture. Although employees working alone and minding their own business is great to create a quiet office space where everyone is able to focus on his/her work, it creates a feeling of disconnection among the colleagues. Humans are social animals that require interaction with each other every once in a while to function properly as we see people on platforms like Omegle.
When there is an environment of employees keeping their heads down and working in their cubicles then such type of environment encourages employees to work separately and disengage from team members. Plus, when an employee is having a problem that could be solved easily with the help of a colleague but refuses to disturb co-workers because of the fear of disturbing them then it will take quite some time for him to solve that problem on his own.
Focus On Blame
If there is a culture of focusing on blame instead of employing quick fixes for problems or colleagues covering up for each other then such a culture is also damaging. Humans are prone to mistakes and everyone makes mistakes but if the colleagues are not supporting each other or helping each other during difficult times then it is a sign of damaging culture where everyone is on his own.
Instead of focusing on blame and trying to make co-workers feel bad, there should be a culture of covering up for each other and looking out for each other in difficult times, which is helpful for the growth of the company as we see for companies like CooMeet that are successful and employees are looking after each other.
Employees Keep Information
If the employees are keeping information from those that are around them then it is also a sign of a damaged culture in the company. Employees may hide their mistakes from their superiors for the fear of getting into trouble or keeping knowledge about their role and contacts because they feel like they would be replaced by someone else if they show everything. Such an environment where there is always a constant fear on the minds of employees is definitely a damaging one.
Employees Are Discouraged From Taking Risks
If the employees are discouraged and not appreciated for risk-taking then it is also a sign of poor culture around the company. If the employees are afraid to fail and they are discouraged from risk-taking then they will stick with the usual and won’t try something new or suggest something new even though they might come up with a brilliant idea that is right on the money. So, if you see this sign where the employees are just doing the regular job and not suggesting something new or unique then it is also a sign of a damaged atmosphere around the company.
If you see these signs in your company then perhaps it is time for you to fix all of this because it is never too late to mend things right. While doing so, make sure that you involve other stakeholders in the process that might help you out with the process.
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