Organizational culture includes our working environment. Have you ever heard the expression "office politics"? What do you think it means? Is it a positive expression or a negative one?
Look at this picture. Do you think his workplace is a happy one? The term office politics is used to describe all workplaces not just an office environment.
In your group, brainstorm the kind of things that might be listed under "office politics". What do people argue about? Are there issues of status? (This can be related to job titles and uniforms. It can also be related to inter-department differences) Who has the decision making power? Who gets the "perks"? (Perks are the extra good things like a parking spot at the front of the building)
Organize the things you come up with and decide if something makes a negative or positive influence on a work environment.
| Area | Example | Positive + or Negative - |
|---|---|---|
| status | Some people have to wear a uniform | In a factory, it can be negative. The hourly staff wear a uniform, the salaried people don't. It can also indicate a positive identity: the police, fire department or post office. |