Material Symbols
Categories: Company Management
Pretty much everything about the physical way an organization is set up is symbolic of something. Like the Buddhism of organizations, we can find meaning everywhere. Limited office space? Well, the ones who have offices are likely important. We don’t even have to know their titles. They got the limited number of offices. We assume they’re important, or well-connected...or they brown-nose really well.
Basement cubicle? Yeah, this person is bottom of the barrel…or anti-social. Brand new computers when everyone else gets hand-me-downs? Don’t have to guess their importance.
Material symbolism is a form of non-verbal communication from the organization to the employees, and has prompted a great many people to cry and whine about life not being fair.