Workplace Observation

WORKPLACE OBSERVATION

Corporations are the building blocks for communities, counties and cities. They have their own agendas and can impact these areas in minute and monumental ways. The major factor which predicates this impact is their organizational culture. Organizational culture has been defined as, "the system of shared actions, values, and beliefs that develops within an organization and guides the behavior of its members" (Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborn, 2005). Employees are key factors which alter how corporate cultures evolve. Examples of how they can contribute might be; how staff members interact and react in their profession or what their attitude and mentality are before and after a given schedule. Regardless of the factor, there are observable aspects in all organizations which relate to culture. Bennett's Business Systems, like most middle market organizations, has four specific aspects which have greatly influenced its organizational culture.

HOW COMMUNICATION FLOWS

We are a sales and distribution company which is dependent

upon data. Information is critical to the success of our organization. How we communicate and the methods we use impact our organizational culture. The structure of our company serves as the foundation for how communication flows. We have a CEO, VP of Operations and seven department heads which make up our core management staff. Each department head has a middle manager who, among other responsibilities, asks as a liaison between the hourly employees. The flow of communication is very clear and defined. This clarity greatly eliminates any "grey area" and adds to an environment which is perceived as stable and direct. An additional observation which contributes to this steady culture is our open-door policy. All employees know that they have the ability to confidentially communicate any issues at any time with any core management member.

ORGANIZATIONAL DIVERSITY

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary has defined diversity as, "composed of distinct or unlike elements or qualities" (Merriam-Webster Online, 2005). Bennett's Business Systems (BBS) has benefited from its diverse employee base in various ways. Any observer can noticeably see an enormous cultural spectrum within our organization. We have enjoyed work contributions from employees' right out of high school to veteran members in their upper sixties. We have gained business relationships due to our multi-cultural staff. Team work and diverse team interaction has proven to be a formula for success in many Fortune 500 companies and BBS is emulating this culture. The life and prior work experiences, from our diverse group, add to increased productivity and promote healthy attitudes. Great attitudes are very apparent in our service and logistics departments. These areas experience high stress and rapid operational changes resulting from altered customer needs. Due to our diverse organization and the culture in which it resides, these unwelcome intrusions have minimal impact on our attitudes, thus allowing the department member to exceed customer expectations.

ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES

Policies and procedures are synonymous with corporate structure. They can greatly