Cultural Issues In Workplace

- Challenges for HR

By

Athul Krishnan( 14AB06)

Arjun Ravisanker(14AB05)
Kalyani Raj(14AB12)
Pragathi P (14AB21)
Pranesh Raj(14AB22)

What is Organizational Culture?

Personality of the organization.
Comprised of the assumptions, values, norms and tangible signs of
organization members and their behaviors.
Difficult to express distinctly, but everyone knows it when they sense it
Particularly important when attempting to manage organization-wide change
Why is Organizational culture Important.
A common platform where individuals work in unison to earn profits as well as a
livelihood for themselves is called an organization. A place where individuals realize
the dream of making it big is called an organization. Every organization has its unique
style of working, which often contributes to its culture. The beliefs, ideologies,
principles and values of an organization form its culture. The culture of the workplace
controls the way employees behave amongst themselves as well as with people
outside the organization.

The culture decides the way employees interact at their workplace. A healthy
culture encourages the employees to stay motivated and loyal towards the
management.

The culture of the workplace also goes a long way in promoting healthy
competition at the workplace. Employees try their level best to perform better
than their fellow workers and earn recognition and appreciation of the
superiors. It is the culture of the workplace, which actually motivates the
employees to perform.

Every organization must have set guidelines for the employees to work
accordingly. The culture of an organization represents certain predefined
policies, which guide the employees and give them a sense of direction at the
workplace. Every individual is clear about his roles and responsibilities in the
organization and know how to accomplish the tasks ahead of the deadlines.

No two organizations can have the same work culture. It is the culture of an
organization, which makes it distinct from others. The work culture goes a
long way in creating the brand image of the organization. The work culture

gives an identity to the organization. In other words, an organization is known

by its culture.

The organization culture brings all the employees on a common platform. The
employees must be treated equally and no one should feel neglected or left out
at the workplace. It is essential for the employees to adjust well in the
organization culture for them to deliver their level best.

The work culture unites the employees who are otherwise from different
backgrounds, families and have varied attitudes and mentalities. The culture
gives the employees a sense of unity at the workplace.

Certain organizations follow a culture where all the employees irrespective of their
designations have to step into the office on time. Such a culture encourages the
employees to be punctual which eventually benefits them in the long run. It is the
culture of the organization, which makes the individuals a successful professional.

Every employee is clear with his roles and responsibilities and strives hard to
accomplish the tasks within the desired time frame as per the set guidelines.
Implementation of policies is never a problem in organizations where people
follow a set culture. The new employees also try their level best to understand
the work culture and make the organization a better place to work.

The work culture promotes healthy relationship amongst the employees. No

one treats work as a burden and molds himself according to the culture.

It is the culture of the organization, which extracts the best out of each team
member. In a culture where management is very particular about the reporting
system, the employees however busy they are would send their reports by end
of the day. No one has to force anyone to work. The culture develops a habit in
the individuals, which makes them successful at the workplace.

Issues Faced by Organizational Culture.

Common organizational culture problems can include ambiguity, poor
communication, and inconsistency. These can contribute to the experience of a
hostile and unpleasant workplace, which can make workers less loyal and may
contribute to issues like harassment, bullying, and high turnover. Companies
with concerns about their structure and organization can use outside
consultants to get a fresh look at their culture, and may also want to consider
the use of employee evaluations to get feedback from their personnel. These
tools can help companies identify and address problems with organizational
culture.
Ambiguity is a common issue. Employees may not understand what is
expected of them, or could feel as though stated policies are in conflict with
actual practices. For example, workplace policies may state that management
supports a healthy work-life balance, but the company may only promote
single people who are willing to work long hours without complaint. The
stated claim is that the company is family friendly, but in reality, this is not the
case.
Inconsistency can be another contributor to organizational culture problems.
Employees may feel like policies are not applied evenly and fairly; managers
may not be penalized for activity employees would expect to see punished, for
example. Companies may also be inconsistent across departments, which can
contribute to the development of resentment. People in human resources, for
example, might want to know why the information technology department has
better offices or always seems to be on vacation.
Poor communication is another common problem with organizational culture
at companies of all sizes. Employees may not communicate well with each
other and could feel uncomfortable about approaching supervisors with ideas,
suggestions, and concerns. From the top down, companies might not clearly
articulate expectations and goals, which can make staff members confused
about what they are supposed to be doing.
Other organizational culture problems can include differences in priorities.
Employees may feel that a company focuses too much on income and pushes
them to work long hours, foregoing rights like breaks and overtime. Some

companies have an organizational culture of guilt that forces employees to

overstretch themselves to get work done. This can create backlash as resentful
employees take out their anger about the organizational culture on each other
or clients.
Poor leadership can be another issue. Employees may have trouble following
people they do not respect, or taking orders from supervisors who do not
appear to know what they are doing. If leadership is weak, inconsistent, or
disreputable, it can contribute to organizational culture problems.
Companies that know they have organizational culture problems can define
them, creating lists of examples to understand the specifics of the issues that
must be addressed. With this information in hand, they can start to address the
situation. For example, if a company's goals are ambiguous, leadership can
meet up to discuss what the company wants to do and how it wants to
accomplish it. This information can be communicated to company personnel
so they feel more comfortable.

Dress Codes Problems faced in the Workplace

The law gives employers a lot of leeway in creating the culture they desire in their
workplace, and this includes allowing employers to decide how employees should
dress and groom. Some employers like to set a professional tone by requiring
employees to wear suits. Other employers like to foster a more creative environment
by allowing employees to wear T-shirts and blue jeans. Just about any rule is fine, as
long as it doesn't violate laws against discrimination or harassment. Read on to learn
more about workplace dress codes and grooming codes, and how to avoid legal
problems when creating and enforcing policies. (Employers can get more tips on
steering clear of discrimination in Nolo's Preventing Employment Discrimination &
Sexual Harassment topic.)

Sexual Harassment
If you require employees to dress in a sexual or revealing way, you may be accused of
harassing these employees -- or encouraging others (customers, for example) to harass
them. Although courts differ on what constitutes harassment in this context, requiring
employees to dress in a provocative way -- such as requiring women to wear short
skirts or men to wear tight T-shirts -- is asking for trouble. If you think such a dress
code is necessary for your business, consult with an attorney before imposing it.
(Learn more in Nolo's article Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.)

Sex Discrimination
Some employers impose different standards of dress and grooming on female and
male employees. For example, an employer might allow women to wear their hair
long, but require men to wear theirs short. Similarly, an employer might prohibit men
from wearing makeup while requiring women to do so.
Generally speaking, these sorts of differentiations are okay. Employers run into
trouble, however, if their dress and grooming code isn't based on social norms, differs
greatly between men and women, or imposes a greater burden on one gender than the
other.
EXAMPLE
Darlene Jespersen worked as a bartender at Harrah's Casino. The casino had a dress
and grooming policy that, among other things, required women to wear makeup and
prohibited men from doing so. Jespersen, who never wore makeup at work or at
home, objected to the policy, and eventually had to quit when she wouldn't comply.
She sued the casino, claiming that the grooming policy was discriminatory. The court
disagreed, saying that the code did not place a heavier burden on women than on men,
nor did it sexually stereotype women. Instead, the code required male and female
employees to maintain a similar professional look and was therefore legal. Jespersen
v. Harrah's Operating Co., Inc., 444 F.3d 1104 (9th Cir. 2006).

Race Discrimination
No employer would intentionally impose different dress or grooming standards on
different races -- this would be obvious and blatant discrimination -- but you might
impose a standard that has an unintentional discriminatory impact. For example,
requiring all men to be clean-shaven can have a negative impact on African American
men, some of whom have a physical sensitivity to shaving. Such a requirement is
discriminatory.

Religious Discrimination
Some religions impose certain dress and grooming requirements on their members.
For example, some Native Americans are not allowed to cut their hair; some Muslims
must wear beards and certain garments. If your company's grooming or dress policies
force people to violate their religious beliefs, you are opening yourself up to claims of
religious discrimination.
EXAMPLE
Edward Rangel is a member of a religious sect that requires him to wear religious
inscriptions in the form of tattoos. Members of the sect believe that the tattoos
symbolize a follower's dedication and servitude to the creator and that it is a sin to
intentionally conceal them. Rangel was a server at a Red Robin restaurant, which had
a rule against visible tattoos. Rangel worked at the restaurant for about six months
without any complaints from customers, managers, or coworkers, but when a new
manager arrived, he ordered Rangel to cover the tattoos. When Rangel refused,
explaining his religious reasons, the manager fired him. Rangel brought his case to the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC, the federal agency that enforces
antidiscrimination laws), which filed a religious discrimination lawsuit against the
chain. Although the chain defended its policy by stating that it wanted its servers to
have an "all-American look," it eventually settled the case for $150,000.

This does not mean that you must abandon all of your dress and grooming rules
because of an employee's religious beliefs. If your policy is rooted in a valid business
purpose that cannot be changed to accommodate a religious need, you might be okay.
For example, certain types of garments may not be safe to wear when operating
machinery, and certain hairstyles may be unhealthy in a food service context if
employees refuse to wear hair nets or beard nets.
If an employee challenges a dress or grooming policy on religious grounds, be as
accommodating as possible. But if you can't reach a compromise that works for you
and the employee, consult with an attorney.

National Origin Discrimination

Dress codes that prohibit employees from wearing native attire -- for example,
traditional African or Indian dress -- might be discriminatory if the employer does not
have a valid business reason for the ban. For example, the EEOC has said that
employers must allow Hawaiians to wear their native dress so long as the attire
otherwise complies with the employer's dress code.

Disability Discrimination
Employers may require employees with disabilities to comply with the same dress
requirements as other employees. For example, if you require formal attire of all your
employees, it is legal to require the same of your employees who have disabilities.
Sometimes, however, an employee's disability makes it impossible to comply with the
dress code. If an employee asks you to modify your dress code because of a disability,
you must accommodate that request if possible.
EXAMPLE
John is paralyzed from the waist down and must use a wheelchair. His employer has a
dress code that requires all employees to wear a uniform. John's disability makes it

impossible for him to manipulate the zippers and the snaps on the uniform. In
addition, the shape of the uniform makes sitting in the chair uncomfortable. John
brings these issues to the attention of his employer, who finds a tailor to make a
special uniform for John that uses Velcro instead of zippers and that is cut in such a
way that it no longer bunches up in the chair. The employer can require John to wear
the new uniform, and John is happy to do so.
When Employees Complain About Dress Codes
In the end, common sense and respect for your employees are your best guides in
creating a dress code. Strive to treat your employees similarly, and consider carefully
any requests from employees to adjust your dress code according to their needs. If
you and the employee can't reach a suitable agreement, consult with an attorney. To
locate an employment law attorney in your area, visit Nolo's Lawyer Directory, where
you can view information about each lawyer's experience, education, fees, and,
perhaps most importantly, the lawyer's general philosophy of practicing law. By using
Nolo's directory you can narrow down candidates before calling them for a phone or
face-to-face interview.
by: Amy DelPo, Attorney

Religion Problems faced in the Workplace

SHRMs 2008 Religion and Corporate Culture survey report reveals that human
resource professionals are still grappling with identifying the key religious diversity
issues in the workplace and understanding how best to address them. Powerful
demographic trends are driving the increased visibility of religion in the workplace.
But organizational response has not kept pace. Religious bias complaints to the EEOC
have increased 69% over the last 10 yearsat a faster rate than race, national origin

or sex discrimination claimsand cost businesses $6.4 million in 2007. Much of this
bias is driven not by bigotry but by ignorance. According to a Public Agenda/Pew
study, only 28% of U.S. respondents profess to have a good understanding of
Evangelical Christianity; that number drops to 17% for Judaism and only 7% for
Islam. Thus, in light of a recent Pew Forums U.S. Religious Landscape Survey
(2008), in which 83% of Americans self identified as religious, SHRMs findings
show that the workplace mirrors U.S. society. Forty-two percent of respondents
indicate some degree of religiosity in their work culture as created by organizational
leaders, and 89% report religious/ spiritual diversity among its employees. There is
also a high level of cooperation (98%) among employees of different religious groups,
indicating that employees may be personally invested in creating a work environment
that is welcoming to people of manyor nobeliefs or simply that religious
differences may not be a factor in employee interactions. Paying attention to religious
diversity is also good for the bottom line. It is no coincidence that employee morale
emerged as the factor most affected by companies granting religious accommodations.
Morale is intrinsically tied to other areas of concern to HR: recruitment, retention,
satisfaction, productivity and employee loyalty. Although there are countless ways
religion becomes a workplace issue, attention to some key areas will help pave the
way for a smoother relationship between religious needs and the workplace. Yet the
report shows that employers still have work to do in the following critical areas:

Holidays/time off: The HR professionals surveyed revealed that companies are

only marginally aware of non-Christian holidays. Only 28% of respondents
offer paid leave for days that are not part of their regular holiday calendar,
meaning that for non-Christian employees there is a built-in inequity. Unlike
their Christian counterparts, they must use vacation, personal or unpaid days
to observe their key holidays. Therefore, flexibility for time off for religious

holidays is a major issue.

Training: Only half of companies are training managers/supervisors in
religious diversity issues, while a mere 37% indicate that employees receive

any training on religion and spirituality.

Policies: Of the respondents surveyed, only 2% reported a formal separate
policy on religious diversity and nearly half reported no written policy
regarding religious diversity. In Tanenbaums 1999 Religious Bias in the
Workplace survey of employees, about two-thirds of the respondents,

regardless of religious background, felt that it was important for companies to

have a clear policy on bias and religious discrimination.

Designated areas for religious practice: A small percentage of the respondents
surveyed overall15%offered quiet rooms that employees could use for
prayer, meditation or reflection during a break in the workday. In large
companies (500+ employees), that number rose to 20%, and 31% of nonprofit
organizations offered designated space for religious observance. If physical
space is not a constraint, many companies are missing out on a relatively easy
way to accommodate the religious practices of their employees.

It is also critical to note that this survey reflects the perspective of HR professionals,
not employees themselves. An analysis of both Tanenbaums 1999 Religious Bias in
the Workplace survey of employees and Tanenbaum and SHRMs 2001 survey on
religion in the workplace revealed significant gaps in employer and employee
perceptions of religious bias and discrimination in the workplace, and absent data on
employee perceptions, there is no reason to assume that the gap has decreased.
Companies can begin to address these issues by weaving religious diversity initiatives
into their current policies, training curricula and corporate culture. Recommendations
include:

Offer holiday swapping or floating holiday policies to make it easier for nonChristian employees to take time off to celebrate the holidays that are

meaningful to them.
Provide training and information on religious diversity and inclusivity both at
the manager level and in orientation and employee trainings to help all
employees understand how they can take steps to create a more inclusive

environment at work.
Develop a formal policy on religion that is distinct from a general diversity
policy in order to show employees that their religious beliefs are respected.
The mere inclusion of religion in a list of protected classes in the boiler plate

diversity policy does not address the critical issue of accommodation.

Ensure that employees have the flexibility in their schedules and an available
space for daily religious practices such as prayer. Quiet rooms that can be used
for prayer, meditation or reflection by all employees are widespread in Europe
and are becoming increasingly more common in larger U.S. corporations.

In order to be truly effective, religious diversity initiatives must be embedded in the

culture of the organization, which includes official policies, employee training and the
process of granting accommodations. Beyond these suggested practices, HR
professionals must be prepared to address many other religious issues that have
already begun to surface at some U.S. companies. For example, HR professionals may
be faced with a Sikh employee who wears a turban and grows a beard contrary to the
companys dress policy that excludes headgear and facial hair. Perhaps a conservative
Christian employee will raise the issue that the firms diversity initiative thats
intended to help LGBT employees feel more included offends him on religious
grounds. Or Muslim employees may request that companies add Shariah compliant
retirement options to their 401(k) funds. Possibly, to the discomfort of management,
employees will request company funds to start a religious affinity group. Thoughtful
reports like SHRMs 2008 Religion and Corporate Culture report can assist HR
professionals in beginning to identify the steps they will need to take in order to fully
engage with and address the complex issue of religious diversity in the workplace.