Corporate culture: What does it really mean?

Is it enough to set up desks in an open space, a kombucha bar and a foosball table to say you have a strong corporate culture? No. A culture depends on the type of organization you want to build and the type of people you want to work there.

A simple definition

Corporate culture is the collection of values, beliefs, attitudes and practices that characterize a business. It’s somewhat like the company’s personality. It emerges through the dress code, office arrangement, benefits, interactions and everything else related to the company’s activities.

Steer the culture, or let it grow untended?

A company has a culture whether it’s attended to or not. Trouble comes when decisions are made that contradict the team’s vision or when people are hired whose values cause conflict. These have a negative influence.

Many companies proactively shape their culture through a vision and values. These serve as guidelines to create coherent policies and to reinforce what they prefer. For example, at Solisco, the Solisourire committee organizes themed events and gives out surprises like coffee and muffins to encourage a pleasant, happy work atmosphere.

The allure of a strong corporate culture

A company that clearly expresses its convictions tends to attract compatible people. This is how a corporate culture can improve hiring, integration, productivity and motivation, and it even extends to interactions with clients and partners.

There’s no time like the present to firm up your corporate culture!