In recent years, the concept of company culture has taken center stage in corporate America. From Friday afternoon happy hours to team-building exercises, a significant emphasis is being placed on fostering a collaborative, positive work environment.
However, beneath the surface, there’s a rising trend that’s making workplaces less enjoyable and hindering career progression. This article delves into the darker side of corporate culture obsession, the reasons behind it, and the impact on employees and businesses alike.
The Culture Trend
The fascination with company culture is not just a fad; it has become a cornerstone of corporate management. Even small firms with as few as 20 employees are hiring culture managers whose sole task is to cultivate a positive, engaging work environment.
According to a survey by workforce analytics firm Robert Half, 91% of managers believe that a candidate’s cultural fit is more vital than their skills and experience. A separate survey by PWC found that 69% of companies believed their culture provided them with a competitive edge.
But creating and maintaining this corporate culture doesn’t come cheap. Culture managers’ average salary packages amount to about $110,000 per year, according to Glassdoor. These figures don’t account for the added costs of hosting culture-building events and the loss of productive work hours. Despite the significant investment, the returns are questionable at best.
The Dark Side of Culture Obsession
Many employees engage in workplace team activities out of obligation, not genuine interest. They express a preference for focusing on their tasks during work hours and spending their personal time with family or friends.
What’s more, many employees find themselves disliking what they refer to as “corporate-prescribed mandatory fun.” This sentiment is echoed in a Harvard Business Review article, which identified such forced fun environments as one of the main reasons top-performing employees exit a company.
So, the question arises: why do companies remain so engrossed with their culture if it’s costly and potentially counterproductive? The answer lies in four concerning reasons, each more troubling than the last.
The Cult of Culture
Companies don’t merely aim to establish a company culture; they aim to create a company cult. Large corporations have found that they can exert an undue level of control over their employees by shaping their thought patterns and behaviors within the workplace.
Senior management often pushes the narrative that the company stands for something greater than generating satisfactory returns for shareholders, creating an illusion of purpose and significance.
Startups, driven by passionate founders with world-changing visions, often fall into this trap. However, according to the Harvard Business Review, such cult-like behaviors are most common in larger companies, with Apple, Tesla, Nordstrom, and Harley Davidson given as examples. Ritualistic behavior, a common characteristic of cults, is prevalent in companies with an exaggerated focus on culture.
For instance, Walmart employees are required to recite the company cheer daily at all their outlets worldwide. The practice traces back to Sam Walton, the company’s founder, who was heavily influenced by Asian business culture.
The level of employee dedication he observed in Eastern businesses, where employees routinely worked twice their salaried hours to impress rigid corporate leadership, was something he sought to replicate in his own company.
Summation
In the quest for a collaborative and positive work environment, many corporations have veered off course, creating workplaces that feel more like cults than nurturing, growth-oriented spaces. While the intent behind cultivating a strong company culture is commendable, the method and execution often leave much to be desired.
It’s crucial for companies to remember that true motivation can’t be forced, and genuine culture grows organically from shared values and mutual respect, not from obligatory chants and forced fun.
The focus should be on creating a healthy work environment that respects individuality and promotes professional growth, rather than trying to manufacture a homogeneous culture that stifles creativity and independence.
A strong, positive company culture is one that encourages diverse perspectives, empowers employees, and fosters a sense of belonging and purpose. It’s not about enforcing a particular way of thinking or behaving, but about creating an environment where everyone feels valued and motivated to contribute their best work.
