Business culture: cold and professional or warm and approachable
Each workplace has its own microculture as a result of its industry, its location in the world, and the diverse range of people that make up the workforce. However, culture is not just a case of ethnicity, it is a way of thinking and acting. At the individual level, we could define culture as the way a person thinks, acts or speaks based on their experiences and background. However, at the group or company level, culture can generally be viewed as the historical experiences and collaboration of the individuals who make up the group.
Unlike an individual, whom we assume has some control over their experiences, thoughts, and general way of thinking, corporate culture is often guided by group guidelines and rules. Another potentially larger influencing factor on corporate or group culture is internal hierarchy. The ‘higher ranking’ or ‘louder’ parts of the group often influence the culture to follow their experiences and beliefs. The opinions or thoughts of the “lower ranking” or “quieter” members of the group are often considered less important by the group en masse. This ultimately also becomes part of the group’s culture.
This discussion refers to corporate or group culture and how establishing, both actively and unconsciously, the culture of a company can affect the external and internal perceptions of that company. In particular, we are looking at the differences between a cold “corporate” and perceived professional company culture versus a more relaxed, warm and accessible business model.
Of course, everyone who works anywhere always strives to be professional – that’s how it should be. However, some companies seem to believe that being professional also means being cold, unapproachable, goal-oriented, and competitive rather than supportive, approachable, and cooperative.
Is this the correct way to increase profits? Does a cold, competitive environment achieve goals at the expense of workforce morale and happiness? Is it sometimes worth losing staff members if, at the end of the day, they are simply viewed as dead weight because they can’t keep up?
The answer is that it depends …
Cold and professional and warm and close works best in different industries and sectors. The financial sector, for example, is best served by an impassive workforce, based on facts and figures. It is also important to meet goals and break down barriers, and this can only be done realistically if everyone is focused on work rather than organizing their next shared meeting.
A similar culture should prevail in a company that is innovating, disrupting, or making big changes. Amazon is probably the best example we have right now. The fast-paced and relentless workplace culture there, from the warehouse floor to Bezos himself, is legendary. The culture at Amazon is described as ‘gladiator’, which is what you need if you’ve decided to take on all the retailers around the world and change the way they’ve always done things forever.
However, this approach still needs professionalism. Amazon is not a swashbuckling pirate, but a well-organized, fine-tuned, and exquisitely knowledgeable machine. There is no real room for feelings there. You may see this as cruel, harsh, unfair, or wrong, but Amazon will simply tell you that you are in the wrong arena …
What’s warm and accessible?
Where do the harbor bridge images, posters of Thai celebrities, cute puppies and fluffy kittens fit in? Apparently, according to Japanese researchers, ‘kawaii’ helps people do the job and do it better. Interestingly, the 2012 study found that photos of adult cats and dogs improved people’s focus and diligence only slightly. It is almost as if people have a need to nourish themselves; well, they actually do.
In some industries and companies, a warm and approachable person will get the best results, leading to greater professionalism and benefits. Of course, in some places, if you were caught staring at kittens to improve your performance, you’d be on the lookout for wasting your time.
However, other companies, like Netflix, see kittens watching, chatting about problems, and taking whatever free time they want as time spent, not wasted. This company considers that the upbringing and development of its people are the key to its benefits. Oddly enough, it seems that giving people a bit of freedom and allowing them to set their own goals and complain about the boss also works. The people at Netflix are professionals too. Hmm …
Similar to how a ‘colder’ culture can reinforce both internal and external trust in a financial company, a ‘warmer’ culture should allow for greater exploration of creativity. Art-based industry; Design, marketing, photography, music, creativity, etc. they are likely to experience increased productivity and efficiency in a more relaxed emotional environment.
As a director, and as I write this article, I find myself analyzing my own company; what is our culture and what I would like it to be. I own a small digital agency in Bangkok, Thailand. As a creative company, I would like to think that we fall more on the warm and accessible side of the scale. That’s definitely the side I’d like to sit on anyway. We don’t wear suits to the office, we don’t have punch cards, we listen to music, we drink too much coffee, and we love a good talk.
Can you be warm and professional at the same time? I would like to think so. We are quite relaxed and I agree with that for my type of business. Of course, that does not mean that we do not have systems and methodology. It does not mean that we do not have rules and guidelines and it certainly does not mean that we are not professionals in the business that we conduct. In our case, the warmth and accessible atmosphere that we transmit is useful for the type of service we provide. Design and marketing is something personal, different for each of our clients and I believe that we could not do our job as effectively if we were reeling on the colder, “professional” side of the cultural fence.
Where are you and your business located? Is it what you want to portray? Is your company culture the best for your clients and staff?
Ultimately, you can choose, apparently, because both models work. However, keep in mind that the larger and older the company, the more difficult it will be to change the culture of that company. The way you want to appear and act, and how your staff and clients view your business can be two different things.