The shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and practices that characterize an organization and influence how employees interact and work together.
The term emerged in the 1960s-70s as organizational psychology developed, combining 'workplace' (from Old English 'weorc' meaning work) with 'culture' (from Latin 'cultura' meaning cultivation). It gained prominence as businesses recognized that company atmosphere significantly impacts productivity and employee satisfaction.
The phrase reflects a shift from viewing work as purely transactional to understanding organizations as complex social ecosystems. Interestingly, toxic workplace cultures can cost companies up to $223 billion in turnover over five years, making culture not just a 'soft' concept but a hard business metric.
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