HRs Role In Developing

Organizational Culture
Where Mission and Vision Meet
By Thyonne Gordon
Executive Director & COO
A Place Called Home Youth Center
South Central, Los Angeles
HR In A Non-Profit Setting
Usually no specified department
One size fits all philosophy
Or whomever has the HR hat on is
the Director!
That person may also be the Accountant,
Executive Director, Plumber and Security!
HRs Conflicting Roles
HR person is in leadership position
Leaders help determine culture
HR administers benefits, personnel
assistance and friend to staff
HR must balance which hat to wear at
what time
HR person must determine which role
they play prior to assessing or analyzing a
culture. It is important to understand
that with this dual role, you are as much
a part of the culture as the employees
that you assess.
Understanding Organizational Culture
Personality of organization
Customs and rights
Shared beliefs
Systemic with feedback from society,
laws, stories, heroes, values, etc.
Understanding Organizational Culture
Members of organization and behaviors
Assumptions-hypothesis becomes reality
Values-initially started by Founder/Leader and then
assimilated
Norms-how things are done around here
Tangible signs or artifacts-include language,
technology, products, styles (clothing, salutations,
myths, stories)
Structural stability-implies there is stable
environment
Integrated patterns-repetitive nature
How Do You Identify Culture?
Observe Behavior
Language, customs, traditions
Groups norms
Standards & Values
Espoused Values (published, announced)
Rules of organization
Habits of thinking, acting & shared knowledge
Metaphors and/or symbols
See, hear, feel
Varied Types of Culture
Academy Culture
Highly skilled employees
Work way up ranks
Stable company environment
Examples:
Universities, hospitals, large corporations
Varied Types of Culture
Club Culture
Employees fit in
Start at bottom & stay with organization
Company promotes from within
Values seniority
Examples:
Military, law firms
Varied Types of Culture
Baseball Team Culture
Employees are free agents with highly
prized skills
In high demand
Fast-paced, high-risk organizations
Examples:
Investment banking, Advertising, Dot.com
Varied Types of Culture
Fortress Culture
Uncertainty with employees
High skills (college grads)
Massive re-organization with companies
Examples:
Savings and loans; large car companies
Where Does Non-Profit Fit?
Combination of all
Some skilled employees
Working way up (and all over) in
organization
Easy to find other jobs if you can juggle
Important to fit in while helping others
Never know when the next paycheck
will comeor not!
Leaders Create Organizational Culture
Beliefs, values & assumptions of
founders are basis for organization
Organizations dont form accidentally
Single person has idea
Brings in more than one and creates group
Group works together to raise funds
Others are brought into existing history
HR Nurtures Culture
Leaders assumptions are taught to
group
As leadership changes, HR, becomes
pivotal in sharing shift information
HR pivotal in hiring for the shift
HR must be in sync with Leadership
(i.e. Executive Director)
HR Defines Culture
Pay attention to measures and controls
What does the leader notice
Is the leader clear or confused
What are leaders emotional reactions
How do they deal with crisis
What is perceived as crisis
HR Shifts Culture
Role Modeling, Teaching and Coaching
Act the part of the culture you want
Show the culture to staff (i.e videos)
Send messages through informal and
formal means
Observe rewards, status and punishment
Use clear criteria for new hires
HRs Shift of Organizational Culture
Make sure routines are visible
Systems and procedures give consistency
Design of space and building is important
Symbolic purposes should be clear
Stories of past integrated with present
and future culture
Does Your Organization Need a
Change in Culture
Nothing in life is constant but change
Change is good
But if it aint broke why fix it
And . . . . .
I dont want everybody hating me!
Basic Changes In Non-Profit
Culture
Poor Money Managers Excellent Financial
Planners
Grass roots start-ups Entrepreneurial
ventures
Hand-out / enabling
places
Self-esteem building,
pride emersion place
Broke, Broke, Broke
Beg, Beg, Beg
Financially solvent
Investors/Fundraisers
Ready to Change Some Culture?
Be ready for a fight
Mature organizations are hard to change
Be ready for a fight
Unfreezing-motivation to change
Disconfirming data - Cognitive restructuring -
Refreezing
Systems and procedures give consistency
Does the Mission Match the Vision?
Who the organization says they are and
whom they serve should match where
they are going
Decide the type of organization you are
and methodize how to present
Get leadership consensus prior to
employee by-in
Leadership is the Key!
No matter what you do, be sure that
you are in a leadership capacity to
influence change!

Those in less than leadership roles can
instigate change but it is not
formalized structuring of culture.
When There Is A Disconnect
When all else failsback to basics
There was a culture go back to it
with the entire staff
Do a coat of arms describing culture
Do team play projects & individual
Define people with culture of place (i.e.
dress code, hours of operation)
Practical Methods to Resolve
Culture Issues
Staff meetings
Listen to all sides
See, hear and learn
Ask staff to provide solutions
Practical Methods to Resolve
Culture Issues

Is Everybody Happy?
Everyone will never be happy! But if
you can get most of the staff happy,
some of the timeyou are beating the
odds!

Complainers will eventually weed
themselves out.
Evolution from Leadership to
Culture to Its HRs Problem!
Nothing is changed overnight
As HR professionals, you can change
small things at a time
Start in the bathrooms (i.e. clean from
the bottom up)
Listen to your staff in who they are and
who they want to become
References
Organizational Culture and Leadership by Edgar H.
Schein
Downsizing and Organizational Culture by Thomas A.
Hickok
Organizational Culture by Carter McNamara, Ph.D
What is a company for? Courtesy of Michael Shanks
Memorial Lecture reprint (13 pages)
Employee involvement in declining organizations,
Human Resources Management 22(4) pp. 445-465 by
S.A. Mohrman and A.M. Mohrman, Jr.
Work and Motivation by V. Vroom