Employees are eager to celebrate the success of their superiors or the international network to which their company belongs. Most, however, do not hold themselves responsible for these merits, nor do they hold themselves accountable for any failures. This attitude stems from poor organizational culture. What can be done to change the culture of the farm office to democratic responsibility for the common good?
Employees in Poland are not interested in whether their company will succeed. This is due to the lack of an appropriate approach to culture and organisation, i.e. the collection of standards and value systems that apply at the workplace. Culture shapes relationships between employees and their superiors, the tendency to cooperate and the attitude towards the common good. Accepting it by new entrants is a prerequisite for them to be accepted in a new environment.
From office farm to culture of shared responsibility
Distinguishing two the main approaches of downstream workers to corporate matters.
It is distinguished by a farm culture, pejoratively called "office farm". This model is still the most popular in Polish companies. It is about taking care of your immediate surroundings, including relationships with your immediate colleagues. The superiors are superiors with whom we should not discuss.
The little widespread style that companies should pursue is the democratic style. It engages employees in problem analysis and decision-making. The manager is a positive model for employees controlling the most important projects. At each stage there is an open exchange of information between the employee and the supervisor. As a result, success and failure are the result of working together.
Types of culture due to motivation are divided into a culture of coercion, utilitarian and normative.
Culture of coercion
We are dealing with it when the biggest motivation to work is financial considerations. Workers follow the rules, but do not identify with them.
Utilitarian Culture
For employees belonging to this model, one with incentives to work are earnings. But that is not the only reason. Often such employees have a positive relationship with the company.
Standard culture
The objectives of the units employed are fully consistent with the mission of the organisation. This model sees a full commitment to professional responsibilities.
Co-responsibility culture starts with a manager
The culture of responsibility will only arise if the manager realizes that the goals set cannot be achieved alone. He should therefore wisely separate the assignments and control only what he needs to. It is beneficial to give credit to those who properly perform their duties. This makes them partners in success.
Building a culture of shared responsibility is not tantamount to a train of workers to responsibility. It is worth remembering that the more pressure is exerted, the less creativity workers show. In order not to be permanently stuck in a cultural farm, the management staff should fight the learned helplessness of the subordinates.
The belief that failures are caused by external factors will not have positive effects. Equally important is the appreciation of positive actions. If this is not the case, a possible failure may detract from further work. The subordinates will feel that it is worth taking responsibility if their rewards are to be paid.
Building a culture of shared responsibility is based on employee involvement
The HR industry constantly notes the impact of the involvement of employees on the results of their work. The Gallup Institute studies have shown that organisations whose employees are highly involved refer from 25% to 65% less losses than the others. Let us compare the situation in Poland against the background of European countries.
51% is the overall average level of employee involvement in companies in Poland, which is known on the basis of HR report from 2019 „Employee Experience – how to make an employee love your company?” However, the situation is less favourable when we consider Eastern Europe.
Over there 37% employees are completely uninvolved, and 15% totally discouraged. Such data is presented by Aon Hewitt. At a time when around 85% people come to work with coercion, the situation becomes very risky for the labour market. However, the level of commitment can be controlled.
It seems that the easiest way to meet an employee involved is to meet them three the conditions: it is positive about the organization, it has its professional future with it, and it works effectively, among other things, for the company to succeed.
In order to build a better engagement with employees, the employer should constantly check whether these factors are observed in the employed. In addition, we should focus on the employer experience, which is the sum of the employee's experience with the employer in all fields and stages of action, starting at the time of recruitment.
Organisational culture at work is responsible for relations between employees, which translate into a willingness to cooperate and a relationship with the common good. In Polish business there has long been a culture of the farm, which should be replaced by a culture of shared responsibility.
Important factors in building this second is: the motivation of employees to take up work, the role of manager, and the level of involvement of employees. To increase engagement, focus should be on building a positive employer experience.