Organisational Culture Desired vs Current

The Organisational Culture assessments are directly based on the Competing Values Framework.

• "Adhocracy" Flexible and External: These kinds of companies reward innovation and creativity. They are nimble and quick to react to market conditions. They do not have a strong hierarchy and can suffer from a lack of order and follow-through.
• "Market" Control and External: These kinds of companies reward productivity and achieving goals. They are focussed on the bottom line and profitability. They are not *friendly* places to work and can suffer from a lack of humanity. Expect strong employee turnover.
• "Hierarchy" Control and Internal: These kinds of companies reward following the rules and fulfilling agreements. They are focussed on quality and correctness. They are not very flexible and can suffer from a lack of innovation and creativity.
• "Clan" Flexible and Internal: These kinds of companies reward loyalty and teamwork. They are focussed on employee satisfaction and wellbeing. They are not very competitive and can suffer from a lack of drive and ambition.

There are actually two questionnaires in this assessment, the items are identical but the instructions are different. In the Desired version, candidates are asked to describe their ideal workplace. In the Current version, they will be asked to describe where they are working now. Coaches and advisors will use both tests together to help management figure out how far apart the current culture is from the desired culture of their employees. For individual placement, you will typically use the Desired version to help identify the best cultural fit for a candidate.

What are some expressions of a company's culture?

• How they reward employees
• How performance is measured
• Behaviors that are encouraged and behaviors that are discouraged
• Compensation packages and how they are administered
• How rigid the rules are and how much freedom employees have to make their own decisions
• The atmosphere of the organisation and how much energy they put into improving morale

Bottom Line

When placing a candidate or helping them navigate their career, you need to determine if who they are fits with the organisation's culture. This test and the resulting report will give you a language to talk about the first and an accurate map for the second.