Organizational culture

Welcome to this session on Organizational Culture. Organizational culture goes beyond a company's mission statement or rules—it's the lived experience within an organization, shaped by shared beliefs, values, norms, symbols, and behavioral patterns. Culture is often summed up as 'the way we do things around here.' Drawing on anthropology, it includes both technical aspects, like job skills, and expressive ones, such as stories and rituals that send powerful messages to employees. Whether working remotely, in a hybrid team, or in the office, culture always influences employee behavior and interactions within the organization. Edgar Schein’s model breaks organizational culture into three levels: visible artifacts, espoused values, and deep, underlying assumptions. Artifacts are the visible signs—what people wear, meeting styles, or daily routines. Values are the shared standards the group articulates, while basic assumptions are the often unconscious beliefs guiding behavior. Culture is dynamic, continually evolving as organizations respond to environmental changes, technology, and social expectations. Importantly, culture is not monolithic; organizations can have subcultures, sectoral cultures, and occupational cultures, all interacting in complex ways. Culture can be the difference between a thriving organization and one beset by dysfunction. A strong, healthy culture boosts well-being, encourages innovation, and builds