Organisational culture is most important in recruiting and retaining volunteers. If the organisation culture is generally negative, it becomes most difficult to interest people to offer themselves for committee or other voluntary positions.

So what is culture?

Organisation culture is very difficult to define, yet it is undeniably very powerful. It is visible and it is experienced, see table below.

Culture is a system of shared values and beliefs about what is important, what behaviours are appropriate and how the people in the organisation relate to one another.

Culture gives organisations a sense of direction. It is persuasive and tends to have an affect on everyone in the organisation. A positive culture energises people and stimulates growth and development. A negative culture drains energy and causes organisations to 'implode'.