Organizational culture is the shared knowledge within the organization regarding the rules and norms that underpin the behaviors and attitudes of employees.
Organizational culture can be categorized into three main components:
- Observable artifacts
- Espoused values
- Basic underlying assumptions or values
Observable artifacts include symbols, physical structures, language, stories, rituals, and ceremonies. Espoused values are beliefs, norms, and philosophies that the company expresses in written form. Additionally, basic underlying assumptions are the values ingrained in employees which they act upon without questioning the validity of their behavior in a given situation. That’s it.
A couple of facts:
Basic underlying assumptions may not even be apparent to organizational veterans as they are not always visible.
Company culture is primarily learned from other employees. Without having worked there yet, there is no way for you to know what the culture entails.
The ASA Framework suggests that potential employees are attracted to organizations that best align with their own personalities, and individuals who don't fit well will become unhappy and leave the organization. Simply, it’s the responsibility of the employee to leave if they feel they don't fit in.
Point is, if you have successfully navigated all hiring barriers and someone denies you a position because you’re not a good cultural fit, you need a very specific explanation within the above otherwise it’s a veil for discrimination.