Culturally Thinking
By now most of us are familiar the concept of culture building. And as a branding agency we’re certainly no strangers to it. Cementing the right culture within any organisation is vital to true and sustained success. Something we genuinely believe. Beyond the buzz terminology, seminars, workshops, guru-sessions — culture very simply boils down to making people happy at work. Because happiness fuels motivation and dedication. But, this is not another one of those five-point articles on how to achieve a great company culture. Sadly, it’s not that easy, and for all the goodwill and intentions most companies will struggle to achieve their ambition (that’s fewer than 10% according to the varying studies).
Enter Noma — the globally renowned restaurant, and not your usual starting point for pondering culture building. But, as they prepare to closedown and then reopen as a new-self, René Redzepi the chef, founder, inspiration, driving force behind them has decided to reward some of those individuals that have, in their own way, continuously and selflessly contributed to their phenomenal success. Something that has lead him to reward a dishwasher with a partnership. Ok, cynical eyebrow raised, the PR value here is priceless. Noted, eyebrow down. More importantly, by looking beyond the usual suspects, those individuals that directly influence profits and business growth, it strikes us that in this single act Redzepi has genuinely enhanced the entire company culture — an act that says a smile is as important as a healthy balance sheet, that each and every individual is noticed, valued and measured as an individual is an act that sends feel-good factor rippling through any organisation. So, maybe, next time we’re considering our cultures we should all think simpler, maybe it’s not about sharp branding values, maybe it’s about being genuine, about acts that come from the heart. About making time to take a note of each and every person — not because the manual says we should, because we are genuinely interested.
