Top business executives frequently make statements like, “This is the best place to work because our leaders are visionary, and they will help propel our company into the future,” “We strive to promote inclusivity and diversity in our workplace, making us a top employer, while creating value for all,” or “Our innovative leaders are some of the best you’ll find in the industry, demonstrating empathy and compassion for all employees, while embracing passion for our values and mission.”
However, how do you feel when you read assertions of this nature about your institution or organization? Do these attributes that you are aware of in your company immediately inspire you? Or do you think the terms are just business talk meant more to wow and flatter than to convey any real meaning?
Very few academic institutions have a corporate culture that aligns with the corporate speak, or the words written and published by its leaders, from my 16 years of experience in higher education. This is particularly true for online colleges that are both for-profit and nonprofit. There is frequently only one main worry when it comes to enrollment and retention rates, and it isn’t the firm’s culture. What other reason might there be for a company to decide to fire hard-working, high-performing workers in favor of increasing profits?
I am aware that “employment is at-will,” there are “no guarantees in life,” and this is the “world we live in now.” However, I find it astounding when executives extol the virtues of their institution or organization while allowing the workplace culture to degenerate to the point where no one genuinely enjoys working there and only stays because of necessity. This raises the question of what one should do if they find themselves employed by a company whose culture and corporate speech are incompatible. Or is there anything you should do if this is discovered?
Online Leadership Puffery
Online is where the majority of leadership declarations on a company’s or institution’s working environment may be accessed. The majority of the time, social media posts and remarks for public relations employ language like this. It is a sort of puffery when it is published by the institutional or organizational leaders themselves since it is meant to boost their sense of status, self-worth, and industry standing. In case you ever forget what they have accomplished or how significant they are to you as someone in their position, it serves as a reminder.
Now, if your career is just getting started, you can find this level of puffery motivating as a way to envision the things you could accomplish. You might not notice the discrepancy between the words and the actual culture—there might not even be one at the moment. Believe me, this is a company you want to work for in the long run if the words describe your organization and the way it runs. I now have the good fortune to work part-time for a university that has earned certification as a B-Corporation, further demonstrating their dedication to the ideals they uphold. However, it is uncommon to discover an organization whose culture aligns with the messages delivered by its executives. The majority of leadership platitudes will be of a personal nature and have little to do with the current needs of the workforce.
Considering (and Ignoring) Your Employees
The question of how much the company cares (or does not care) for its people is at the very heart of the debate over corporate speech that matches (or does not match) the culture of an organization or institution. Find your company’s leaders on social media if you really want to know how much your company cares or doesn’t care about its employees. First, it can be your first intriguing hint if you can’t discover them on social media. The next step is to take a week or two after you’ve found your leaders to pay close attention to what they post. Are they genuinely interested in their workers, or are their posts merely puff pieces extolling their own and their leaders’ virtues?
Here are a few instances: Do your leaders openly discuss adversity? Will your leaders discuss firing workers during the holidays? When there are issues that have been going on for years and the company has a terrible reputation, do your leaders address the poor working conditions? In other words, you can quickly and easily figure out what your leaders are most worried about by reading what they post about. All the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the world will never be able to make up for the following: (1) a work environment that permits managers to gaslight their staff; (2) employees who are salaried and required to work 80-hour work weeks; (3) employees who live in fear of their managers; and (4) employees who are fired in retaliation for raising concerns about poor management.
What to Do if Your Workplace Has a Poor Culture
Let’s be clear: An employer will always feel as though they are in a better position than their employees, and for the most part, they will be right. Most states have an at-will employment policy. Even with proof, if you report a manager, the management will always be taken more seriously than an employee. To overcome your ingrained helplessness and take charge of your profession, you must do the following. I am aware that the economy is difficult and that employment opportunities are few for many professions. But you may take action right now by being proactive. It is time to start creating a different path forward if you are working within a culture that is anything than good. You need to look beyond the here and now because you never know when you’ll be the next victim. When working in a toxic workplace, this is always a possibility.
You should feel reasonably comfortable about your career and your future if your leaders are pushing principles that are consistent with the workplace culture you are currently in and your manager is on your side. However, you should be alert and cautious if there is any discrepancy between corporate speech and the business culture. Trusting an employer is a lesson I’ve had to learn the hard way, especially one I started a journey with many years ago and had to wait nine years to start working for. I should have anticipated the warning signs, and now all I can do is continue doing what I do best—helping others learn. If the leadership is not concerned with the requirements of its people, even though the organization or institution may be the place you want to work, you risk being upset, frustrated, dissatisfied, and eventually displaced. Stop allowing this to happen to you. Be aware of the environment and culture you are in and make sure your career is in your hands.
