Company culture. You hear it said often, but what exactly is it?

It’s the air the company breathes. The blood that flows through its veins. It’s everything from the atmosphere of the workplace to the goals that the company prioritizes. No corporate cultures are exactly alike. Here are four of the most common company cultures today.

1. Traditional Company Culture

Defined by hierarchies, strict rules, and guidelines, traditional company cultures are typically represented in larger, corporate organizations. Individuals in different departments don’t interact very often and everyone tends to stick to their guns to get the job done. A traditional company culture provides a lot of structure and guidance, but it can lack in the areas of flexibility and personal development. Still, many successful businesses are proof that it can work wonders.

2. Team-Oriented Company Culture

With a team-first mindset, companies with this culture ultimately prioritize the happiness of their employees. They hire based on whether someone will fit well within the team, and competence and skill ultimately end up taking a backseat. These companies believe that a happy staff makes for happy customers, and they align everything to reflect this. Employees may have a lot of freedom when it comes to handling work in their own way, and the business may encourage team-building activities and staff outings.

3. Elite Company Culture

The name says it all. The elite company culture is for businesses continuously looking to improve, expand, and be the very best they can be. They hire people they believe will help them achieve their goals. They want courageous, creative and motivated individuals to help them push their boundaries. These kinds of companies are looking for exponential growth in a minimal amount of time. Their atmosphere may be experienced as intense and compelling. And while this is a great way to push the company forward, the drawback is that employees may become overwhelmed and burn out.

4. Horizontal Company Culture

When it comes to company hierarchy, these companies prefer a horizontal model instead of the traditional vertical structure. Avoiding the top-down approach, they prefer to emphasize a collaborative approach and downplay job titles. Employees tackle projects and problems together, and different people may take the lead depending on their skills and knowledge. Perfect for self-starters, this company culture tends to function better with smaller teams. Larger groups could end up feeling a lack of direction and structure.

Define Your Company Culture and Thrive in Your Own Way

There are no exact right or wrongs when it comes to company culture, but the worst thing you can do is neglect its importance and come off as wishy-washy. So, whether you’re an employee or a business owner, define the corporate culture you want. Figure out where you stand and work toward your goal. From there, you can adapt and improve it as you see fit. Figure out what kind of culture you believe in, build on it, and thrive.   So, do you believe in the importance of creating a specific corporate culture? Which kind of corporate culture do you think is superior? Drop us a comment. We want to know your opinion on it.