Has COVID-19 affected the organisational culture of non-governmental organisations?

Abstract

Organisational culture, as one of the key features of any organisation, is related to its performance. This is also true for non-governmental organisations. The purpose of this research is to identify changes in the dimensions of the organisational culture of these organisations caused by the pandemic. Data from 586 respondents, identified through an online OCAI questionnaire, were collected for pre-COVID-19, current, and preferred state. Statistically significant representation of the dimensions was identified in the types of culture. It was found that hierarchy culture was prevalent in pre-COVID-19. The hypothesis of trying to increase competitiveness in times of threat was not confirmed. After COVID-19, clan culture prevailed. It can be noted that individual dimensions of organisational culture changed their location dramatically during the reporting period. But the dimensions in the preferred organisational culture returned mostly to the pre-pandemic state. According to McNemar’s test at an overall significance level of 0.05, there was a difference between the now and preferred periods for dominant characteristics in hierarchy type, organisational leadership in market and hierarchy type, management of employees in clan and hierarchy, strategic emphases in adhocracy type. Of the 24 options, a statistically significant difference was confirmed in six cases. The respondents do not significantly experience feelings of exhaustion or disruption of work-life balance in a post-pandemic situation. The practical findings emphasise the necessity for managers to know the location of dimensions, not only the type of organisational culture. Confirmed facts can help managers, leaders, and policy makers in choosing strategies for shaping organisational culture in non-governmental organisations to achieve the required performance.