Organizational Culture
Coming from a background with very limited knowledge about the graphic design world, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect my first week in the office at Solari Creative and to be honest I was fairly nervous. However, the guidance and support that I have received throughout the duration of this week have been instrumental in a smooth transition into the start of my internship. On my first day in the office, my supervisor Deborah Byrne walked me around the office and introduced me to their entire staff in the office. All ten employees (along with one other intern) in the office were incredibly welcoming and have continued to be helpful this first week.
Solari Creative is a small graphic design business located in Red Bank New Jersey. This company was founded by two ladies who have a passion for art and using their talents to translate other businesses’ or individuals’ messages. The company’s designers consider themselves “storytellers,” in that their art and graphics are used to further explain what assets their clientele have to offer. In order to be storytellers, there must be a tacit chemistry amongst the workers and this is most definitely seen at Solari.
This team is so close with one another that they are practically mind readers. Whereas in other offices there can be a lot of tension and workers may choose to get lunch on their own, this team loves to be around one another. The workers here do not treat me as “the intern,” rather they have been intent on welcoming me into their team and helping me develop new professional skills. My co-workers have been very helpful guiding me with creative projects, while also allowing me to bring my own ideas to the table. They have also encouraged me to ask questions, which has been so very helpful and eased my nerves about entering an entirely new field.
I know that it has only been a week, but in a sense this already feels like home. I think the fact that I have been able to create strong bonds early on is something that is incredibly special at a small company like Solari Creative. Strong bonds lead to more effectual teamwork and thus achieving the company’s goals in the most effective and efficient manner. I am very excited with the direction that this internship is going and I cannot wait to learn more about the graphic design world alongside my amazing co-workers.
First, let me just say that I love Red Bank, NJ. I spent lots of time there when I was growing up. Now on to the real stuff. Sounds like a really lovely environment in which to work and one that will be a good place for someone with limited experience with graphic design to get wet. Seems like getting oriented to the organization was relatively easy, even if there was not a formal ‘structured’ orientation. Given the small setting, it seems you can both observe and ask about values, expectations, norms, etc. It also seems like the interaction – at least among the staff – is relatively informal. It will be interesting to see how what interactions/communication is like with clients. As you continue, I encourage you to consider how your site’s context (type of industry or history) affects the way it functions and is led, including whether the site’s context requires the leadership to be more attentive to certain issues than to others. Insights about this will definitely be helpful in regards to completing academic assignments in the fall.