Consider the word “culture” and your mind might wander to an idealised image of an afternoon spent flitting through the rooms of a world-famous art gallery. Maybe it ventures to a fine dining experience set to the tune of classical music and high-minded conversation. Or it might, instead, think in terms of a particular set of values and customs – everything from favourite traditional foods and clothes to the time we spend with family and the in-jokes we tell one another.
The concept of “corporate culture”, by contrast, can seem decidedly grey. It has neither the glamour of the high-minded, artistic concept of culture nor the rich and intensely personal sense of self that springs from the broader idea of culture. Instead, to many people it is just that faintly hazy, general impression of how a particular workplace feels to work in. Do people talk to one another in the office? Are employees happy to voice their opinions? Is there excitement around projects and workloads?
It’s not that people don’t notice a good corporate culture – and they certainly notice its absence or an especially negative version of one – but they would probably struggle to articulate exactly what marks some workplaces out as places where their mood actually lifts when they walk through the doors each morning.
By contrast, organisations can spend a huge amount of time thinking about this corporate culture, mainly because there is a great weight of research linking employee engagement with higher organisational productivity. People who like their jobs, who enjoy being in a workplace, and who approach work with passion are also likely to produce better work, stay longer with an employer and take less time off. In theory, it looks like the most glaringly evident win-win scenario an organisation could work towards, yet a fair number still fail in the effort to foster even a passably decent work culture.
Many companies look to the examples of firms like Google and Facebook, and the widely-held conception of these workplaces as buzzing hives of creative, enthusiastic employees. Their corporate culture seems self-evident, writ large across hyper-colourful walls, scattered beanbags, and foosball tables. Employees appear to be making a consistent, boundless effort, with some even going so far as to look like they’re having honest-to-goodness fun at work.
However, organisations that seek to take wholesale from these examples and instil the same culture are likely to be disappointed. Letting loose with some artistically graffitied meeting rooms, jazzy “breakout” areas and a games console or two won’t necessarily create a sterling new culture that matches your company’s aims.
As a leader, an organisation’s culture is very much in your hands: how it is formed; what it looks like; the effect it has on productivity. What is important is identifying the kind of desirable workplace culture that reflects your own leadership style and the overall long-term vision for the company, as well as being the best fit for the needs of your workforce.
Not everyone, for example, will work at their best in an office of hyper-competitiveness or continually enforced team socialising. The technical nature of other individuals’ workloads might best suit a culture relaxed about delegation and the handing over of autonomy. Other teams’ rigidly high production standards and output might not be served well by a culture that prioritises continuous debate and ideas-sharing.
There are certainly common questions of corporate culture that an effort such as this must always answer. You need to think about the kind of relationship you want employees to feel they have with their organisation. You should consider how open and communicative the business will be. You have to look at how ideas and innovation can be most effectively encouraged.
What you should not do is approach a corporate culture as a copy-and-paste effort, cherry-picking winning attributes of leading companies without thinking how they might work in your own organisation. The danger is it could simply lead to your office looking more garish and your employees less engaged than before.
Ahmad Badr is chief executive of Abu Dhabi University Knowledge Group.
business@thenational.ae
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Company%20Profile
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
SPECS
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Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Company%20Profile
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How%20to%20avoid%20getting%20scammed
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Fight card
Preliminaries:
Nouredine Samir (UAE) v Sheroz Kholmirzav (UZB); Lucas Porst (SWE) v Ellis Barboza (GBR); Mouhmad Amine Alharar (MAR) v Mohammed Mardi (UAE); Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) v Spyro Besiri (GRE); Aslamjan Ortikov (UZB) v Joshua Ridgwell (GBR)
Main card:
Carlos Prates (BRA) v Dmitry Valent (BLR); Bobirjon Tagiev (UZB) v Valentin Thibaut (FRA); Arthur Meyer (FRA) v Hicham Moujtahid (BEL); Ines Es Salehy (BEL) v Myriame Djedidi (FRA); Craig Coakley (IRE) v Deniz Demirkapu (TUR); Artem Avanesov (ARM) v Badreddine Attif (MAR); Abdulvosid Buranov (RUS) v Akram Hamidi (FRA)
Title card:
Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)
Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)
Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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RACECARD
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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EA%20Sports%20FC%2024
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Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
SWEET%20TOOTH
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Company%20profile
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'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris