Described as a set of values, beliefs, norms, attitudes, and practices that characterize how an organization operates, organizational culture reflects a company’s identity and influences how employees behave, make decisions, and interact with each other and with customers.
According to Carla Martins, vice president of SERAC, a hub of corporate solutions, renowned in the areas of accounting, legal, educational, and technology, organizational culture is a key point in the growth of companies and needs to be implemented strategically. “At SERAC itself, working on organizational culture was an essential tool for our growth, as it allowed us to form a team. Before, we were just a company that did good work, but later we formed a team that started fighting for the same dreams and embracing the same values,” she explains.
According to the executive, it was the construction of a strong organizational culture that allowed SERAC to overcome major challenges, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Culture beats strategy on the most challenging days, because if there is a big problem and everyone is engaged, that problem will be tackled more easily. During the pandemic, we were able to continue serving with excellence even remotely,” Carla exemplifies.
The vice president of SERAC emphasizes that a strong organizational culture tends to unite company members around common goals, while a weak culture can lead to disunity and lack of direction. “Culture is everything the employee does while the owner is not around. It can be customer-focused and promote well-being, but it can also allow gossip and lack of quality in work, so it is essential for entrepreneurs to be attentive to build an organizational culture that makes sense,” she explains.
Check out four steps to implement a strong culture in the company, according to Carla Martins:
1st) Define the desired culture and work on its shaping – For this, it is worth looking for references in companies in your sector or even in other sectors and list the values that should be part of it. “Often it will be necessary to make adaptations and evaluate if the sector and customers align with what is being shaped. You want a company like Apple, but your furniture is outdated? Want something more formal, but your sector is very disruptive? It will be necessary to seek a balance,” Carla advises.
2nd) Train people – Leaders and trusted individuals need to be trained constantly to embody the company’s culture because once they are trained, they will pass on the culture to their subordinates. “And if the team is small, the entrepreneur himself can be the master leader and needs to act as a mirror. For example, if there is a culture of optimism in the company, he needs to show optimism. If he is not having a very good day, it is better to stay away from people than to reflect emotions contrary to those he wants to pass on to the team,” suggests the executive.
3rd) Communicate and breathe culture all the time – According to the vice president of SERAC, all elements of the company’s communication can help disseminate culture, from the computer desktop image to the brand’s branding. “Even the WhatsApp groups can share the company’s values and encourage tasks that help promote culture,” says Carla Martins.
4th) Evaluate and reevaluate – The executive explains that it is necessary to periodically evaluate if the values being passed on are in line with what is desired in the company’s culture. “For that, it is important to have tools in feedback, always considering that a culture takes at least a few years to be implemented,” says Carla. She points out that when a company has a strong culture, it helps attract similar people and repel those who do not fit, which helps in facing daily challenges and stimulates growth.
