Employees absorb culture in several forms, the most potent being stories, rituals, symbols, and language. Stories circulate through many organizations. They typically include narratives about the organization’s founders, rule breaking, workforce reductions, relocations of employees, reactions to past mistakes, and organizational coping. Rituals are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the key values of the organization—what goals are most important, and/or which people are important versus which are expendable.

The size of offices, the elegance of furnishings, and perks, are a few examples of material symbols, sometimes also known as artifacts. These convey to employees who is important and the kinds of behavior that are appropriate. Many organizations within them use language to help members identify with the culture, attest to their acceptance of it, and help preserve it. Unique terms describe equipment, key individuals, customers, or products that relate to the business. New employees may be overwhelmed by acronyms and jargon that, once assimilated, unite members.