20 Feb How can an employee learn the organizational structure of their workplace?
When applying to jobs, one of the key indicators that a job is the right fit is whether the workplace culture is conducive to your learning and performance style. Organizational structure is the foundation to workplace culture. It outlines the values and objectives of the company and the collective mission to achieve the company’s common goal.
How can an employee determine the organizational structure of a company?
An employee can assess the company-wide routines that have been established at the workplace. Observe how each project is completed: How are the employees completing tasks? How are the employers responding? Understanding the learned, and now habitual, processes of the workplace can really help an employee evaluate whether they could see themselves completing work in the same ways, and whether they have or can adopt a similar mindset.
Pay attention to the message the company is trying to convey. The company may have a specific slogan, logo, or brand that provides a view into the environment at the company. The company may be conveying their message through what they have written on the walls, written in memos, or common phrases the team members use. This demonstrates how the company communicates to their team.
Another factor that can provide insight into the organizational structure of the company is their ideal employee. Who are the company’s role models or exemplar employees? It is important to understand who this employee is, what they stand for, what this employee has accomplished, and why they made the company so proud. It provides insight into the company’s expectations of all their employees.
Lastly, the company’s narrative is crucial to understand. What stories are they proud of and continue repeating? It could be stories about employee accomplishments, big clients, triumphs, failures etc. What they choose to tell and re-tell says a lot about what the company finds exciting or frightful.
Why is this important for an employee to observe? It is crucial for employees to assess because it demonstrates whether they are a culture fit. Culture fit means whether the employee’s values and objectives correspond with those of the company.
Before accepting a new job, there are ways of determining the organizational structure and fit during the interview process. When the employer asks whether the interviewee has any questions, this is their opportunity to evaluate the company.
Some questions the interviewee may ask is: How would you describe the work environment in three words? What is your explanation of the company’s culture at present? What are the core values of your company (trust, teamwork, accountability etc.)? What does your ideal employee in this position look like? What are the tools that would help an employee excel at this workplace? What does the best team member do daily?
If you are an employee who needs help reviewing their employment contract, please contact KCY at LAW by filling in an online consultation request or contact us by phone at 905-639-0999 to book your consultation today.