Understanding Edgar Schein’s Organizational Culture Model—Finally, in a Way That Makes Sense for HR!

Level 1: Artifacts – The “Visible” Culture (What You See & Hear)

Artifacts are the most obvious things about a company—the physical signs of its culture. You can see, hear, or experience them immediately when you enter the workplace.

Examples in HR:

The office design—Is it open and collaborative or full of closed-off cubicles?
Employee dress code—Are employees in jeans or business suits?
Employee behavior—Do people work in silence, or do they laugh and chat with each other?
Company events—Are there monthly celebrations, or is it all business and no fun?
HR policies—Is there flexibility with remote work, or do employees have to be in the office at 8:00 AM sharp?

Think of Artifacts Like “Company Vibes” If you walk into a Google office, you’ll see bean bags, playful colors, and free snacks—this tells you it’s a casual, fun, and innovative environment. Compare that to a law firm where everyone wears suits and speaks in hushed tones—here, the culture is formal and professional.

HR’s Role: Artifacts set the tone for culture. If HR wants a fun and engaging culture but the office looks dull and outdated, changes need to be made to align it with the desired culture.

Level 2: Espoused Values – The “Company’s Stated Culture” (What They Say)

Espoused values are the values that a company claims to have. These are usually found in mission statements, company slogans, and leadership speeches.

Examples in HR:

A company’s website says: “We value work-life balance.”
The CEO says: “We are an inclusive and diverse company.”
The HR team promotes “employee well-being” as a core value.

Think of Espoused Values Like “Company Promises” If a company says it values innovation, does it actually encourage employees to take risks? If it claims to be diverse, does leadership reflect that?

HR’s Role: HR professionals must ensure that these values are not just words on a wall but are actually being followed. If a company claims to value diversity but only hires people from the same background, there’s a disconnect that HR must address.

Level 3: Basic Underlying Assumptions – The “Real” Culture (What People Actually Believe & Do)

This is the deepest level of culture—the unspoken rules and beliefs that truly drive behavior in an organization. These are so ingrained that people don’t even think about them consciously.

Examples in HR:

Workaholic culture: The company says it values work-life balance, but in reality, employees feel pressured to answer emails at 10 PM.
Fear of speaking up: The CEO says, “We value open communication,” but employees avoid voicing concerns because they fear backlash.
Leadership favoritism: The company says it’s fair and equal, but promotions always go to the same group of people.

Think of Underlying Assumptions Like “Company Reality” This is what actually happens behind closed doors, not what the company claims.

HR’s Role: This is where HR makes the biggest impact. If there’s a disconnect between what the company says (espoused values) and what really happens (underlying assumptions), HR must work to fix it.

For example, if leadership claims to support work-life balance but expects employees to answer emails on weekends, HR must address this and create real policies that match the values.