A living example of a cohesive company culture
[Picture: This photo was taken before the pandemic and social distancing]
A strong company culture built on solid foundations has never been more important than it is in 2020. Like other companies around the world, our culture has been put to the test and we’re proud to say it not only weathered the storm but emerged stronger.
Culture isn’t something you can touch, taste, or smell. It’s built on action and is aligned to the vision and values of an organisation. Both good and bad company cultures are recognisable from within and from outside an organisation.
There are many definitions of company culture. We think this one from Forbes is best aligned to our own thinking: “Great work cultures are not built on free snacks, flexible hours and office happy hours alone. A great work culture is one built on purpose and values, where employees are aligned on not only what they have to do, but also why and how they have to do it.”
A culture built on shared values
Our leadership team is committed to ensuring every team member feels valued and knows how their role contributes to the overall vision and mission of Borg & Overström. While we may not get it right all of the time, we’re proud of the culture we’ve nurtured over the years.
The culture at Borg & Overström is built on five core values that we all strive to apply to everything we do.
- Work as a team
- Keep focused
- Let your enthusiasm show
- Always achieve excellence
- Be dependable
These values have served us well, particularly during the first half of this year when we’ve had to adapt to new, remote ways of working.
Way back in January, a typical Monday for us would start with a company-wide Morning Motivator. From March we were forced to conduct these meetings remotely. In the beginning we were concerned that these sessions would feel less motivating and more ‘corporate’.
Aside from the usual technical glitches and slow home internet, the team adapted well to the remote Monday Motivators. Teams have united to share successes and challenges together. We’ve been delighted that so many people have stepped up to the plate to present to the wider business. For some, this was the first time they had spoken to the business as a whole and meant stepping outside of their comfort zone.
We’ve always endeavoured to foster a stimulating environment where team members feel able to share ideas and gain new knowledge. During the pandemic our organisational structure has become flatter with everyone eager to muck in to help get us through the lock-down period.
Now and next
While business has been far from normal, we’ve continued to move steadily forward and to support our loyal distributors wherever they may be in the world. And as the world comes back to life, we’re feeling positive for the future.
Since March we’ve had a team focused on the ‘here and now’ and getting us through the pandemic situation. But we’ve also had a team heads-down focused on the long-term future of the business. We’re currently actively recruiting people to develop new products for markets we’ve seen exposed by the pandemic.
While we acknowledge our culture isn’t perfect, it’s been put to the test and we’ve emerged as a living demonstration of the power of a cohesive culture. A huge thanks to our wonderful team and their continued commitment through this challenging time.
