Described as a set of values, beliefs, norms, attitudes and practices that characterize the way an organization works, organizational culture reflects a company's identity and influences how employees behave, make decisions and relate to each other and customers.
According toCarla Martins, vice-president ofSERAC, a hub of corporate solutions, being a reference in the accounting, legal, educational, and technology fields, organizational culture is a key point in business growth and must be implemented strategically. "At SERAC itself, working with organizational culture was an essential tool for our growth, as it allowed us to build a team. We were previously just a company that did good work, but then we formed a team that began to fight for the same dreams and embrace the same values," he says.
According to the executive, it was the development of a strong organizational culture that enabled SERAC to overcome major challenges, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Culture overcomes strategy in the most challenging days, because if there is a big problem and everyone is engaged, that problem will be faced more easily. During the pandemic, we managed to continue serving with mastery even remotely," exemplifies Carla.
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 when the owner is not present. It can be focused on the customer and well-being, but it can also allow gossip and lack of work quality, so it is essential for entrepreneurs to be attentive to build an organizational culture that makes sense," she explains.
Check out four steps to implementing a strong culture in the company, according to Carla Martins:
1) Define the desired culture and work on its modeling – for this, it is worth seeking references from companies in your sector or even from other sectors and listing the values that should be part of it. "Often it will be necessary to make adjustments and assess whether the segment and customers align with what is being modeled. You want a company like Apple, but your furniture is outdated? You want something more formal, but your segment is highly disruptive? It will be necessary to find a balance," advises Carla.
2) Train people – Leaders and trusted individuals need to be trained constantly to breathe the company's culture, because once they are trained, they will pass the culture on to their subordinates. "And if the team is small, the owner himself can be the main leader and needs to set an example. For example, if there is a culture of optimism in the company, he needs to show himself as optimistic. If he's having a not-so-good day, it's better to stay away from people than to reflect emotions opposite 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 spread culture, from the computer screen image to brand branding. "Even WhatsApp groups can share company values and encourage tasks that help promote culture," says Carla Martins.
4)) Evaluate and reevaluate – The executive explains that it is necessary to periodically assess whether the values conveyed align with the company's culture. "For that, it is important to have tools in the feedbacks, always considering that a culture takes at least a few years to be implemented," says Carla. She emphasizes that when a company has a strong culture, it helps attract like-minded individuals and repel those who do not fit, which aids in facing daily challenges and stimulates growth.
