Organizational Culture and Challenges Facing Human Resources

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1. Define the term "organizational culture. Discuss several areas in which HR practices and policies can affect organizational culture positively or negatively.

The term "organizational culture" is used to describe the overall working conditions, attitude, and behaviors that are common inside of the day to day work environment as embraced by management and displayed by all employees (Wilkins, 2009). Depending on the organization or the perspective for which culture is being studied, you will see many different definitions applied to this subject. Some of the more common definitions of organizational culture are as follows:

Employees sharing a set of common understandings around which they organize their actions through the use of expressions, language, or unique nuances that are peculiar to their group (Wilkins, 2009).

Or, according to Bellot, organizational culture is more clearly defined as employees developing a set of meanings and understandings that their specific group shares and is largely tacit among its members. These shared sets of meanings and understandings are clearly relevant and distinct to the group and they will pass these practices and this culture on to any new members who join them (Bellot, 2011).

In general, organizational culture is a systematic approach by a company and its employees to develop standards and understandings that are commonly used by the majority of people that help build a sense of community and develop a sense of belonging inside the organizational setting. The deeper the level of assumptions and beliefs, the more complex and powerful an organization's culture will become. One of the primary factors that impact the overall formation and identification of the organization's culture is the HR department and its policies (Wilkins, 2009).

A human resource department will play a vital role in defining the organizational culture. It is in the HR department that all of the company's policies and procedures are developed and implemented in all of the key areas that directly affect the direction an organization moves toward. HR dictates policy and procedures around compensation, employee relations, hiring practices, and the employee's behavior and conduct. These areas and how HR manages each will help determine either positively or negatively the culture that is developed (Bellot, 2011).

Some examples of HR's ability to positively or negatively impact ...