Policy and Practice February 2019

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of its leaders, selection criteria for hiring and promotional decisions, and the nexus between its mission state- ment and employee performance.” 5 A cultural onboarding experience should be the foundation for all government agencies as they continue to refine their onboarding programs. “We are already beginning to see significant effects of rapid change within our political and government institutions. Do we have robust, resilient agency cultures in place that can cope with disruptive challenges in the future?” 6 What is Culture? Organizational culture is the way a government agency thinks and acts. At its most basic level, culture is “gained knowledge, explanations, values, beliefs, communication and behaviors of [a] large group of people, at the same time and same place.” 7 Every government agency has one, and it can make the difference between accom- plishment and failure. 8 Employees are a government agency’s culture experts. Adapting to an agency’s culture is essential for all employees to do their work efficiently and effectively. Remarkably, cultures are fluid. Differences in geographical areas, n written and unwritten rules n symbols such as logos or uniforms n language and acronyms used n organizational structures n politics n decision-making and rules n customs, beliefs, values, and goals n ceremonies, rituals, or routines n communication style n stories, myths, or traditions n employee and leadership structures n verbal and nonverbal language markers that let you know what is okay and not okay Culture is a Government Agency’s …

departmental goals, and job require- ments have an effect on norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors of employees. 9 A government agency’s culture may be hard for an outsider or a new employee to navigate. Adaptive leaders not only recognize the nuances of fluid cultures but they have the ability to communi- cate effectively to minimize confusion. Government Cultures Are Di erent Government objectives are political in nature. “If political pressures on goals are visible in the private sector, they are blatant in the public arena. Public agencies operate amid a welter of constituencies, each making demands and trying to get its way. The result is a confusing multiplicity of goals, many in conflict.” 10 They are influenced by certain values found in the private sector such as efficiency, effectiveness, timeliness, and reliability. However, they are also influenced by values that are often in conflict with one another such as being responsive to the rule of law and public demands, being open to scrutiny and criticism, adhering to strict ethical standards, and conducting public affairs with fairness, equal treatment, social equity, and impartiality. 11 Just as individuals have different personalities, patterns, and expecta- tions, so do government agencies. Experts feel that the variations in political beliefs found across the country are due to the original immi- grants who settled in different parts of our country. 12 In the map on page 10, Elazar, Gray, and Spano divide the United States into three different political cultures: moralistic, individu- alistic, and traditionalistic. Areas with a moralistic political culture (shown in purple) were devel- oped from the Puritans as they moved westward. Moralistic cultures value citizen engagement and desire citizen

hile for-profit compa- nies such as Google and Facebook famously invest financial

resources into creating positive and productive organizational cultures, government agencies must deal with dwindling resources and taxpayer accountability. 1 With up to 20 percent of staff turnover occurring within the first 45 days of employment, 2 adapting our leadership styles to provide an organizationally relevant cultural onboarding experience for new government employees is essen- tial. Adaptive leadership understands when to hire someone who cannot only adjust to change but help push the existing government culture in the direction their agency should be moving. Government leaders today must be resilient, not only for citizens, but for their employees. A sometimes overlooked, yet critical factor in proper onboarding is the new employee’s comfort level within the agency, particularly its culture. Understanding and sharing your agency’s culture during new employees’ onboarding experience helps them adapt and thrive quickly. “Employees who know what to expect from their company’s culture and work environment make better deci- sions that are more aligned with the accepted practices of the company.” 3 “Losing an employee who is a poor fit or not performing well may be a fine outcome, but losing employees because they are confused, feel alienated or lack confidence indicates inadequate onboarding.” 4 Creating a cultural onboarding experience helps new employees understand the unique culture they have become a part of and the chal- lenges they will face in a government position. “The touchstones of an orga- nization’s workplace culture include its treatment of employees, the credibility

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February 2019 Policy&Practice