Business

What to do when corporate language doesn’t match corporate culture

We’ve all heard top business leaders proclaim, “This is the best place to work because our leaders are visionaries and will help propel our company into the future,” or “We strive to promote inclusion and diversity in our workplace, making us a superior employer, while creating value for all,” or, “Our thought leaders are some of the best you’ll find in the industry, demonstrating empathy and compassion for all employees, while embracing a passion for our values and mission”. .

However, what is your reaction when you read these types of statements for your organization or institution? Are you immediately inspired because you recognize these qualities within your company? Or do you see words as corporate language, designed to flatter and impress, without carrying much weight?

From my time in higher education over the last 16 years, I have found very few academic institutions that have a corporate culture that matches the corporate discourse, or the words written and published by their leaders. This is especially true for for-profit (and non-profit) online schools. When it comes to enrollment and retention numbers, there’s often one primary concern and it’s not company culture. Why else would an institution decide to value profits over employees and lay off high-performing employees, especially those who are willing to work hard?

I understand that this is the “world we live in now”, and “there are no guarantees in life” and more importantly “employment is at will”. However, I find it unbelievable when leaders tout how valuable their organization or institution is and then allow the actual culture of the company to deteriorate into a place no one likes to work and only stays because of the financial need. This leads to a question, so what does a person do when they find themselves in a job position for a company where the culture doesn’t match the corporate language? Or should I do something if this is detected?

Online leadership bloat

Where most leadership statements can be found, regarding the work environment of an organization or institution, is online. For the most part, this type of wording is used in PR statements and social media posts. When posted by organizational or institutional leaders themselves, it is a form of bragging designed to help elevate their feeling of status, self-esteem, and sense of position within the industry. It’s also a reminder to you, as someone in your position, of what they’ve accomplished and how valuable they are, in case you ever forget them.

Now, if you’re just starting out in your career, you may find this level of bragging inspiring, as a means of thinking about what you could accomplish in your career. You may not recognize the disconnect between words and actual culture, and there may not be one right now. If the words match your organization and the way it operates, trust me, this is a company you want to build a career with over time. I am now fortunate to work part-time for an academic institution that is a Certified B Corporation, further exemplifying their commitment to the values ​​they promote. But finding an institution that has a culture that matches the words spoken by its leaders is rare. Most leadership bragging will be personal in nature and unrelated to the current needs of employees.

Caring (and not caring) about employees

At the very heart of the question of whether corporate language matches (or doesn’t match) the culture of an organization or institution is the question of how much the company cares (or doesn’t care) about its employees. If you really want to know how much your company cares or doesn’t care about its employees, look up your company leaders on social media. First, if you can’t find them on social media, that may be your first interesting lead. Next, once you’ve located your leaders, take a week or two and really pay attention to what they post. Are they committed to their employees, or are their positions simply bragging, proclaiming their virtues and the virtues of their leaders?

Here are some examples: Do your leaders deal honestly with recessions? Will your leaders address employee layoffs this holiday season? Do your leaders address poor working conditions, when there are known problems that have dragged on for years and the company has gotten a bad reputation? In other words, what your leaders post will tell you very clearly what they care about most, and it won’t take long to determine. All the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the world are never going to make up for: #1) a workplace culture that allows managers to cheat their employees, #2) employees are forced to work 80 hours a the week as salaried employees. , #3) employees living in fear of their managers, and #4) employees being fired in retaliation for reporting poor management.

What you can do when you find yourself in a poor work culture

Let’s be clear: an employer will always believe they have the upper hand in a work situation and, for the most part, they will. Employment is at will in most states. If you report a manager, even with evidence, the manager will always be believed about an employee. This means that he must go beyond learned helplessness and take control of his career. I understand that the economy is challenging and for many careers, jobs are few and far between. But what you can do is be proactive immediately. If you are working within a culture that is anything but positive, now is the time to start developing another path forward. You must think beyond the present, as you never know when you will be the next victim. This is always going to be a possibility when working in a negative environment.

If your leaders are promoting values ​​that align with the work culture you’re in now and your manager supports you, then you should feel pretty confident about your job and your future. But if there is any mismatch between corporate speech and corporate culture, you need to keep your eyes open and be careful. I learned the hard way to trust an employer, especially one I started a journey with many years ago and then waited nine years to work. I should have seen the signs ahead of time, and all I can do now is what I do best, help teach others. The organization or institution may be the place you want, but if the leadership doesn’t focus on the needs of your employees, you may find yourself distraught, discouraged, disappointed, and eventually displaced. Don’t let this happen to you. Pay attention to the culture and environment you’re in, and make sure you’re in control of your career.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *