Why startups in Bangalore have the worst work culture
There’s a culture of a startup but none within them
Bangalore may have more startups mushrooming than Kodaikanal in monsoon but their work culture is hardly something one can be proud of. A closer look at the startups, not all, of course, would reveal that there’s a systemic lack of attention towards creating a unique culture, let alone a healthy prospering one. But why is it that so many startups, started by young professionals as well, perform so poorly in this regard? The following points may clarify:
Race to succeed — The idea of starting one’s own enterprise and the various means, now available, to do so has led to a blind race towards success. The measure of success, however, has been in monetary terms and instead of having a steady base of committed and happy employees, most companies have looked to profit at a low cost to themselves. Needless to say, creating a wholesome environment has hardly been a priority.
How to do business — A successful business, historically, has thrived when the employees have succeeded as a whole. A company is only as strong as the morale of its employees. This golden principle has been shunned by most startups. A lot of the CEOs, for example, have come from a non-business background or with little experience in running a business which means that they are yet to understand the principles of employee satisfaction.
Low empathy — An empathy index presented by the Harvard Review showed Indian companies at the bottom of the list while companies like Facebook and Google topped it. It does say a lot about the emerging work culture. A lack of empathy towards the employees from the management does lead to an absence of a culture which encourages all-around productivity. The focus has been on developing better products than better employees.
Aping of culture — Some startups which have, to some extent, tried to inculcate a warm work culture have tried doing so by aping it from other companies. This is a one-size-fits-all approach which does not work in real life. By doing so, they have missed out on their own individuality and have not used their employees’ strengths to develop a culture of their own.
Unsure of best practices — Most startups in Bangalore have been business-oriented and are highly unsure of best practices when it comes to human resource management. Despite having trained professionals on board, the lack of interest shown towards employee well-being reflects in their day-to-day operations. The focus has been on improving productivity and not on adding value or skill.
The absence of great examples — Even when a few startups have tried inculcating a work culture which could be of value, they have hardly found a role model to look up to. There are very few companies in Bangalore whose employees swear by their work culture and almost none to learn from.
A work culture encompasses multiple dimensions like empathy among colleagues, free flow of information through the hierarchy, a focused attempt to add skills and allow for them to develop.
It includes benefits to employees like leisure activities, paid vacations, flexible working hours etc. A great work culture aims at developing employees who feel secure in their jobs and responsible towards the company. Not many can boast of having the same.
That being said, there has also been a marked shift in attitudes in recent times. The acknowledgment of this issue has been a welcome step and companies are gradually looking towards creating one.
The idea of building a supportive work culture has dawned and is shaping up with time.
Orginally Published on Calibr.ai
