Changing Cultures in Changing Workplaces: UK and Bulgaria Compared
Changing Cultures in Changing Workplaces: UK and Bulgaria Compared

Summary/Abstract: This paper examines workplace changes in values and structures by comparing manager and employee perceptions in private financial institutions within the UK and Bulgaria. It draws on an eight-country, European Union-sponsored study of the transition to parenthood among employees in changing European workplaces, using a case-study approach. Interviews with managers at various levels explore their perspectives on the workplace changes, how and why they are implemented and their impact on organisational well-being. The employee perspective was generated by focus groups with employees expecting their first child or with young children. As organisations adapt to global competition and other pressures, they often induce changes beyond organisational restructuring. The case studies of the British and Bulgarian financial organisations show that workplace cultures also change, modifying the languages used, the values shared, and the forms and degrees of identification within the organisation. The analysis uncovers many similarities between the organisational changes and the transforming organisational cultures within the two companies. This has been prompted by the process of globalization sweeping out across the whole of Europe—particularly poignant for the financial sector. At the same time, there are significant differences rising from the distinction in the national contexts of each of the two countries. This paper outlines the cultural factors which contribute to the success or failure of strategic initiatives for supporting working parents and sustaining or enhancing their well-being throughout the change processes.

• Details
• Contents