
How would you define company culture?
Culture is the invisible set of rules which guides behaviour inside a company, and therefore it’s the foundation which business results rest on.Why is getting culture right important for businesses, particularly SMEs?
How can SMEs avoid box-ticking?
Many mistake “culture” for what they see/hear Google, Facebook et al are doing to treat their employees. Firstly, that’s not culture, they are perks; but second SMEs need to acknowledge that you don’t need a luxurious employee budget to invest in your company culture. Every company’s DNA is different, and that’s why you can’t just copy and tweak the Netflix Culture Deck and expect to see results – you have to come up with an original definition and authentic ways to promote and nurture your culture.What is your experience around culture? What makes you a voice of authority in this space?
As part of my role as Talent Partner at EQT Ventures, my role is to advise our portfolio of early and mid-stage companies on all topics related to talent and people.What would make a strong entry for next year’s entrants? What would impress you?
A strong entry tells us not just that they have a good company culture, but will mention how: how they have built it and how they know that it’s effective. I’m particularly impressed by companies who can demonstrate investments in company culture on a shoestring budget and companies who measure and analyse data points to inform culture. In association with Breathe, Real Business is running the SME Culture Leaders List 2019, the only league table of its kind catering to the UK’s thriving small and medium businesses that put company culture first.Share this story