Ambiance
The ambiance of physical workplaces.Busy & Stimulating | Central / Prime Work Locations |
Frugal / Minimal / Harsh Locations | Hazardous Environment |
Luxury Office with Amenities | Mobile Environment / Multiple Worksites |
Quiet & Peaceful | Remote Work Locations |
Service Environment | Work from Home |
Decisions
How decisions are made. This greatly influences how you spend your time. For example, firms with consensus decision making are likely to view work as a series of meetings without as much time for individual productivity.Command & Control | Consensus Decisions |
Role-based Decisions | Secrecy & Political Intrigue |
Stakeholders Are Consulted | Stakeholders Are Sidelined |
Talent-based Decisions -- best idea wins |
Working Style
The way that work is done. For example, a design team where all work is a social effort versus a team that produces designs with individual productivity. The later would tend to produce more creative work as social processes involve social compromise that can produce mediocre work.Big Long Projects | Customer-facing Work |
Group Productivity | Individual Productivity |
Multidisciplinary Teams | Small Short Projects |
Strategy
Where strategy originates within an organization. Top-down originates from management without consultation. Bottom-up involves management but accepts good ideas from anywhere.Bottom-up Strategy | Copy the Competition |
No Strategy | Top-down Strategy |
Trend-following |
Politics
Politics is the way that a group decides what to do. This can be candid, direct and turbulent such that it generates creative tension. Alternatively, it can be conflict avoiding whereby group harmony is prioritized over creativity and rational decisions.Candid & Direct | Creative Tension |
Group Harmony | Indirect & Polite |
Internal Competition | Mediocrity & Fear of Criticism |
Negative Politics | Noncooperation |
Saving Face |
Power Structures
How power and influence are distributed in an organization.Bureaucracy (promotions based on rules over results) | Cronyism (promotions based on who you know) |
Meritocracy (promotions based on talent and results) | Nepotism (promotions of family and friends) |
Seniority (promotions based on experience over results) |
Change
How the organization approaches change. Some firms lead aggressive change while others fight to preserve the status quo. In some cases, a firm is based on traditions and legacy such that it is rational to preserve the old ways.Blindly Emulates Competition | Defends Status Quo |
Leads Change | Traditional |
Work Culture
Work culture emerges with the shared experience of teams and is beyond the direct control of management.Accountability | Expectations |
Norms | Tone at the Top |
Working Conditions
Working conditions are basic elements of a work environment that influence the health and happiness of employees.Benefits | Compliance to Law |
Empathy & Support | Employment Terms |
Flexibility | Privacy |
Safety | Security |
Work Hours | Work-life Balance |
