Page 4 - The Leadership Line: The MIL Pledge

What is Corporate Culture?

Dear HR:

I often hear the term Corporate Culture. What is Corporate Culture? How can I influence Corporate Culture?

Corporate culture is the personality of a company. It shapes the atmosphere around the office and sets a tone
for how employees should behave while at work. It can be seen as a complex mix of values, ethics, goals, and work
environment. Often, corporate culture is implied, not expressly defined, and develops over time from the cumulative traits
of the people the company hires. Like human personality is unique to each person, Corporate Culture is unique to each
company.

Some factors that help to determine corporate culture are:

» Hiring decisions » Management style
» Work hours » Internal procedures
» Communication » Customer service

» Transparency

Managers directly influence corporate culture through leadership,
communication, and delegation. Employees are important to establishing a corporate
culture. The way your team interacts can set a standard for how the organization functions
overall. For instance, if your employees have respectful, outgoing relationships, the
company might have a more positive culture.

“A promise (pledge)

made is a debt

unpaid.”

Robert Service