Culture and community are two intertwined concepts that shape the fabric of societies, defining the uniqueness of each group. While culture helps us differentiate societies, community goes beyond mere description, fostering a sense of fellowship among individuals who share common attitudes, interests, and goals within a specific area.
The term "community" traces its roots to the Old French word "comuneté" and the Latin "communitas," emphasizing a shared public spirit. Unlike culture, which describes the collective identity, community actively joins individuals, creating connections based on a pursuit of excellence and a shared vision for progress.
In the realm of organizational development, the buzzword "culture" often dominates discussions about workplace environments. However, the reality is that cultural initiatives, such as Friday happy hours or trendy perks in coworking spaces, often fall short of fostering genuine engagement and community. Instead, organizations may find themselves merely manufacturing a superficial sense of connection.
What if we shifted our focus from "culture" to "community" in the workplace? Culture may describe what brings us together in our shared tasks, but community is what binds us through commonalities and diversity. It is the shared pursuit of building the future, serving the people, and investing in relationships that truly forms a community.
Despite the widespread use of language around inclusion, engagement, and diversity in organizations, many struggle to translate these ideals into meaningful connections among their members. Initiatives like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) can fall short not because they lack importance but because they often aim to instill new cultural norms rather than building genuine community.
A revealing study on job growth, resignations, and retention highlighted key factors influencing job transitions: higher salary, work/life balance, and career advancement. However, what stood out was that organizations weathering the Great Resignation had something in common – a culture centered around caring for community.
These successful organizations created a community that was mission-driven, results-focused, and relationship-oriented. They provided employees with a sense of purpose, fostering a deep connection that transcended the conventional employer-employee dynamic. The real competition, as revealed in the Marketplace story, revolves around which organizations can cultivate purpose and community for their employees.
In the grand scheme of things, culture happens around us, while community is something we actively build, steward, and strive for. For social species like humans, strength arises not from rugged individualism but from our collective ability to plan, communicate, and work together. Therefore, it is time to shift our emphasis from the superficial allure of cultural initiatives to the genuine and lasting connections fostered by vibrant communities within our workplaces and groups.