Toms of Maine Case Study

Organizational culture is the basic pattern of shared assumptions that have been created by the corporation to enable the employees in the organization to have a shared norm. There are varied sources for the development of the organizational culture; they include the following-the general influence from the external environment, the factors that are specific to the organization and the influence of the values that exist in the society such as the spiritual perspective. The spiritual perspectives that are held in the organizations can transform the organizational culture in the sense that it will create a behavior system that will be adopted by the personnel in the organization. The Tom Chappell’s spiritual perspective clearly puts that the culture of an organization is inseparable from the spiritual ties that have been formed in the work place.
The functions of the organization will be conducted in certain way that will make the organization to be noticed by the rest of the esteemed clients of the company. The individual identity of the employees comes from the connection that has been created with the relationships in the organization. This is what makes the distinct culture of the organization. This will hence be included in other entities in the organization such as; the customers, the suppliers, the stakeholders, community and the government. This will create the moral foundation where the operations of the company will be based on.
Also, Tom and Kate Chappell believe it is crucial not to compromise your beliefs in order to turn a profit. The Chappell’s expressed strong personal values of respect for both people and nature. Through conflicts between the companies’ new talent and the Chappell’s, Tom enrolled at Harvard Divinity School where he immersed himself in writings of great moral and religious philosophers. Having new knowledge and a deeper understanding of the direction he wanted his company to go in he “devoted much time to formulating the company’s mission and beliefs and to molding a corporate culture that embodies these tenets.” (p. 220)
While the expression of spiritual values in the work place can lead to the creation of positive employee identity in the organization, the creation of religious employee-resource groups in the work place can lead to the emergence of conflict. This will be based on the religious diversities in the organization where not all the employees in the organization have the same belief.
The accommodation of the religious diversity in the organization creates a company that is competitive hence attracting the needed talent in the market to promote the functions of the corporation. To have an organization that has a strong employee identity, religion and faith has to be included in the culture of the company. Through this, the diversity of the management systems of the corporation will be shifted in the positive light. The management body will affirm the employees through all the aspects of the organization. This will increase the levels of the employee motivation providing a better work place fort the entire personnel team
Toms of Maine might have risks involving the lack of understanding between employees and the company’s vision. However to avoid the Chappell’s believe that “there is a difference between requiring a workforce to embrace one’s religious beliefs and empowering all employees through a spiritual framework.” (p. 215) one advantage would be the Chappell’s setting the example. They are committed to donating 10% of the company’s pre-tax profits to nonprofit organizations. By giving back to their community (county, state, nation and world) they are a shining example of what they would like their employees to do. They also encourage their employees to do this by providing a “generous benefit package, including four weeks of parental leave for mothers and fathers, as well as offers flexible work schedules, job sharing, and work-at-home programs. Child-care and elder-care referral service is provided, and child care is partially reimbursed for employees earning less than $32,500 annually.” (p. 218)