Communication is the basic tool that makes organizations work. The Latin origin of the word is “communis”, which means “common”. This means that there must be a common understanding of the verbal and non-verbal signs used between the participants in the communication. Individuals who share this common understanding of the symbols they use to interact with each other could be said to belong to the same culture. The general definition of culture says that it is a system of shared values, norms and beliefs, shaped by history, climate, the type of work people do, etc., used to shaping interpretations of events, actions and situations, and which is perceived as something that is taken for granted. Basically we could say that each of us belongs to several cultures, some being larger, such as the country we come from, our mother tongue etc. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay There are also smaller cultures we belong to, the organization we work in for a moment. Organizations are entities made up of a number of people who have a common understanding, a sort of "internal knowledge", of how things are done in the work environment. It's not written anywhere and it's invisible to the outside world, it's more about how employees perceive the organization. The distinction between organizational members and non-members plays an important role when it comes to influencing employee behavior by setting standards and retaining them by providing a sense of identity. It also helps increase their commitment to the organization's goals. There are different ways of transmitting culture within organizations, for example legends that are built between the founder and the history of the organization, different rituals that create a stronger bond between members, specific jargon used in this working environment or symbols. whose encoding and decoding are based on the common background provided by the organization. It is in fact quite difficult to be able to recognize these different habits in organizations from the outside, as the definition of organizational culture already reinforces. Nevertheless, we tried to find examples of symbolic interactions in organizations and chose real and well-known companies such as Google and Starbucks or Intel as well as an example from an American series, "The office", like the films sometimes allow us to do that. an inside look, if we follow the events alongside a character actually involved in the fictional organization. To begin, we will talk about Google and more specifically the ping-pong tables present in its facilities, which are used here as an example of a different approach to the meaning of work. The company is known for being one of the best places to work in the world, as Elisabeth Matsangou points out in her article on Laszlo Bock (Matsangou, 2016). Bock worked as Senior Vice President of People Organizations for Google from 2006 to 2016 and focused on improving the internal structure and culture of this growing company. In 2016, he published his book “Work Rules!” Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead" in which he gives an insight into the internal life of Google and in which he sets out his philosophy on how to develop new guidelines, structures and rules of asuccessful business (LinkedIn, 2018). For this review, we decided to analyze the free perks that Google offers to all employees. More specifically, ping-pong tables will be discussed as symbols of a modern company that has understood how important a diverse environment is for its employees and how much it can improve internal communication and the success of different departments. A normal ping-pong table is therefore an object that we would not normally imagine in a workplace, as it is better known as a leisure object. If we have free time, we play a match with another person who wants to join us. Why then did Google decide to put “free time objects” like ping-pong tables in its offices? In an interview, Fab Dolan, Google's marketing manager, explains: "We actually take the time to go play the arcade for a little while and hang out and […] during those times, you have an idea when you meet someone from another department. or another team. » (Culture Inside Google [Video], 2013, 00:01:01)According to Dolan, it's not just taking a break from work, it's also a way to find new inspiration and new ideas to solve a problem. A ping-pong table thus offers the feeling of having real free time during work and the possibility of connecting with other colleagues. This makes it easy to improve internal communication and people intend to stay in the office longer and work more. Google also has micro kitchens scattered around campus, where every employee can grab a free coffee and take a short break. Ross Brooks sees them as an alternative way to bring people together and […] create more opportunities for innovation” (Brooks, 2018). Laszlo Bock pointed out that most conversations in these chat areas are about products, users, and new ideas (Brooks, 2018). Thus, symbols like the ping-pong table have the big advantage of improving the internal network and giving employees the feeling of working in a company that really cares about them. It ensures that team building is supported and thus also contributes to sharing the company's mission (one of the three important arguments for Laszlo Bock) between the different departments. There's always the risk that employees will misinterpret offers like this and start to forget about the real work, but the way Google and Lazlo Bock have shown it can work very well. Places like these are important for creating an atmosphere where employees are motivated and trying to do their best. They may also feel like they are giving back what they received from the organization. And this is how large companies like Google enjoy great success today. Another well-known company, Starbucks, has changed parts of its organizational culture in recent years to better convey its values ​​to both employees and customers, as we do. we will see this in our next example. The organizational culture of Starbucks Coffee Company is one of the most distinct characteristics of the company, influenced by high-ranking employees and business results. In the case of Starbucks Coffee, the company's organizational culture permeates every aspect of its operations. However, Starbucks is where the company culture is easily noticeable. The way people work with each other and interact with customers are hallmarks of Starbucks. The warm and friendly atmosphere of these cafes is one of the differences between the company and its competitors.The goal of the organization is to include employees in the system as quickly as possible without any conflicts, which affects the high productivity of employees. Starbucks also has an anti-discrimination policy that shapes its system and prohibits any form of discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, etc. This aspect of the company's organizational culture makes customers feel welcome in Starbucks stores. According to the statement posted on Starbuck's website: “Embracing diversity not only improves our work culture, but it also drives our business success. It is the inclusion of these diverse experiences and perspectives that creates a culture of empowerment, which fosters innovation, economic growth and new ideas. »* We can see that inclusion and diversity are very important to them. For many years, the dress code at Starbucks was quite strict. Black pants and black t-shirt, no hat, no jewelry, etc. In 2016, the organization decided to change the dress code and let its employees express themselves more than before, according to the idea of ​​"being yourself" at work. “Fedoras are a must, but bucket hats are not. Colors like charcoal, navy, brown and black are in fashion – bright colors like red and yellow are out. Patterns are cool, as long as they're small and subtle, and denim works as long as it's not lightly washed. »** - this is the part of the 30-page "Starbucks lookbook" where employees can find all the details about their dress code, including tattoos, piercings, nails and personal hygiene. So, starting June 2016, Starbucks employees have a greater selection of clothing they are allowed to wear. All of these changes aim to allow employees to display their views with constant respect for the freedom of others. So, for example, hair color can be extravagant and quite different from what we might usually notice: "if hair color is your style, it's welcome." Same with hats. Until then, caps were prohibited, cafe employees could not wear anything on their heads while working. In the Starbucks lookbook, the company released special photos with examples showing which head coverings are allowed and which should be avoided. The dress code is considered a symbol in the organization. The new Starbucks equipment is known from a company that, whether you are in Warsaw or New York, has a clear sense of identity. The decision to adapt clothing to modern styles promises a new chapter for the coffee network conglomerate. The new dress code makes employees feel more comfortable. They show who they are. The variety of dress code introduced by Starbucks has a positive impact on the company's image and employees. Often, when you wear work clothes, you have the impression that from that moment on you become an employee like everyone else for a few hours. The new dress code has a positive effect on employees who feel more comfortable and cheerful in their own clothes. As mentioned earlier, fiction allows us to look closely inside organizations, because the public is just a fly on the wall. Starbucks Dress Code Lookbook, page 13Starbucks Dress Code Lookbook, page 22Now, we're going to investigate the American mockumentary titled "The Office", which aired between 2005 and 2013. "The Dundies are pretty much the best of all of them We. » The chosen symbol is a rewardpresented to employees during “The Dundies Awards” ceremony (“Dundies” referring to the name of the company Dunder Mifflin) which takes place each year. As the show is comedy oriented, the awards titles are rather ridiculous, which is why they are symbolic for the company's employees. The whole team gathers at a restaurant, where the infamous boss Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell, runs the show and hands out the prizes. The only purpose of this ceremony is to have a good time and make jokes among colleagues. It brings people together, as work is forgotten for a night and immortalized with brilliant rewards. The rewards themselves have no real value. They are a symbol of the company's dynamics and culture, which tends to be casual and fun. The boss has a rather unique personality and always brings out ideas – good or very bad – throughout the show. Its management techniques are perhaps more than questionable, but they always bring employees together around a culture that is their own. The “Dundies” are one of the many symbols representing the essence of the company, its identity and above all its culture. ! Excerpt from "The Office", Season 2, Episode 1 "The Dundies" When it comes to material organizational symbols, authors Dandridge, Mitroff and Joyce define three categories, one of them being "control of energy that considers the extent to which a symbol inspires or demotivates.” individuals. » (C. Bailey - page 9). In the Dundies case, these small trophies are intended to motivate individuals within the company, in order to have them and their work recognized and rewarded. Although the ceremony saw the boss making a fool of himself to make his employees laugh, these small, worthless statues are a symbol of employee recognition and appreciation. In the series, the boss's desire to start a family leads him to really start a family with the people he sees every day, the people he works with. The advantage of this symbol is that it speaks for itself, that is to say that the message communicated by the price is clear and quickly understandable: good job for your job. In the show, this also represents the fact that employees are part of a family, the company family. Finally, we will look at another major company in its field, Intel Corporation. Founded in 1968, it is now the world's largest manufacturer of semiconductor chips. Additionally, the company has a strong foothold in education, environmental sustainability, healthcare and more. The company is a good example when it comes to symbolic meaning, just take a look at its logo. (1)The Intel “dropped-e” logo has been abandoned in favor of a “swoosh” around the company name with the new slogan “Leap Ahead”. This simple but powerful message symbolizes the company's goal to "take the next step forward – in technology, education, social responsibility and manufacturing." The blue color of the Intel logo represents the company's approachability, excellence and grace, while the white color represents its elegance, nobility and purity. In terms of organizational culture, Intel is also a great example. (2) In the article published by Mark Chatham, who worked at Intel for over 20 years as a BIOS engineer, he described Intel's organizational culture and compared it to other companies. One of the key policies is the “open door policy” which gives each employee the right to ask questions of any other employee, which can be very egalitarian. Part of this is regular meetings.