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Organization culture is defined as “a common perception held by the organization’s members’; a system of shared meaning.” A dominant culture expresses the core values that are shared by a majority of the organization’s members. In a strong culture the core values are intensely held and widely shared.

You need to choose an employer whose culture is compatible with your values and one in which you’ll feel comfortable. Here is a list of things that you can do to assess an organization’s culture.

• Observe the physical surroundings, including office furnishings, clothing worn by employees and hair length.

• Who did you meet and who do you think has input into the hiring decision?

• What is the style of the people you met? Is it casual or formal?

• Does the organization have formal rules and procedures printed in a policy manual? If so, how detailed are these policies?

• Ask questions such as, what is the background of the founders and current senior managers? What are their functional areas? Were they hired from within or outside of the firm?

• How do they integrate new employees into the organization?

• How does the person you would be reporting to define his or her job success?

• How do they define fairness in term of reward allocations?

• Who is on the “fast track” at the organization and what has put them there?

• Who is considered to be a deviant in the organization and how has the organization responded to this person?

• Can you describe a decision made here that was well received and one that didn’t work out? What were the consequences for the decision-maker?

• Can you describe a crisis or critical event that recently occurred in an organization? How did top management respond and what was learned from this experience?

Debbie@DandBconsulting.com

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