Award-Winning Culture: Part 1

"I’ve never known a business with a culture quite like this—let alone worked in one."

The biggest testament to that? In all my years here, I’ve never missed my child’s sports day, school play, or any important personal event. At the same time, I’ve grown in ways I never imagined—developing new skills, taking on more responsibility, and shaping a workplace that truly puts people first.

Why Bother?

Businesses love to talk about culture. But for many small and medium-sized companies (which make up the majority of this country), the real question is:

What is it? And why does it matter?

A few years ago, I’ll admit—I didn’t really get it. I saw HR as a legal necessity, a box-ticking exercise designed to manage risk. Culture? I thought it was about having an "open door policy," a good social scene, and being flexible with staff requests. Sound familiar?

Adding Value

Then, everything changed.

Our (then-new) HR Manager, Amy, convinced me to attend a seminar. On the way, she challenged my beliefs about our culture:

• Why does your door always need to be open?
• Does everyone actually enjoy the social scene?
• What problems does that flexibility create that you aren't aware of?

The seminar was eye-opening, and Amy made a bold promise: Great HR isn’t a cost—it’s a catalyst for growth.

Fast-forward to today, and she’s delivered on that promise. Amy Burdett has grown alongside the company, becoming a qualified Level 7 HR Director and a valued member of our Board. And in the process, she’s played a key role in shaping a truly award-winning culture.

What Value? How Do You Measure It?

It’s no coincidence that our steepest period of growth has aligned with the transformation of our culture. While it’s not the only factor, it has been a huge enabler.

Amy’s work has helped us earn recognition for our culture, with multiple awards—including another one due in 2025! We’ve hosted leaders from industries as diverse as professional sports and childcare, all keen to share ideas and experiences.

What's the Point?

We’ve decided to document and share our journey—both the wins and the lessons learned. If you’re interested in building a culture that truly drives growth, here are some key themes that have shaped ours:

• A common purpose and code
• A detailed plan and clear resource allocation
• Group, team, and individual targets
• Accountability, feedback, and professional development
• Progression (my personal favourite) and structured succession planning
• Autonomy, trust, and planned flexibility
• Over-communication and respect
• Reward, retention, and culture-first leadership
• Embracing diversity (in people and thinking)

Structured Autonomy

That's how we define our culture.

1. Less chaos, more collaboration.
2. More accountability, greater creativity.
3. Giving trust, earning it back.

"Discipline is the order that allows me to fly." – Julie Andrews

Warning!

We’re not perfect. Some of this might not work for your business. You might already be doing certain things better than us. And if so—tell us. Challenge us. Because the best cultures aren’t just built, they evolve.