Creating a Winning Company Culture: Insights from Eva Fiskarée

Learn how to create a winning company culture together with Eva Fiskáare, an HR specialist with extensive experience in leadership development, diversity, and inclusion.

The Importance of a Winning Culture

Eva emphasizes that culture is more than just superficial attributes like ping pong tables and after-work events. Culture encompasses everything we do and say, as well as what we don't do and don't say. It should support and reinforce the business strategy, meaning that a culture out of sync with the strategy can hinder the company's success.

Eva Fiskáare and Miriam Sundholm

“Strategy eats culture for breakfast,” propounds Eva. What is poured into organizational culture is what runs the business and produces the long-term results. Feed strategy well and the organization will have the fuel it needs to overcome challenges and forge ahead.

Building a Company Culture

According to Eva, the first step in creating a winning culture is to have a clear and shared understanding of the company's values. At a previous company where Eva worked, 800 out of 1,500 employees participated in workshops to collectively define the company's values. This included gathering stories and opinions about which aspects of the culture should be preserved and which should be developed.

Culture is defined by the worst behavior the company is willing to tolerate, Eva explains. Making a cultural change requires having hard conversations and addressing issues that may have been ignored. Change comes from courage and consideration, for leaders to put the wellbeing of employees and the organization first and set clear expectations for achieving this strategy.

Inclusion and Communication

Eva stresses that it's important to attempt communication about culture in a language more people understand, even if it means the language isn't perfect. This contributes to a more inclusive environment where more employees can participate and feel welcome. The inclusion of employees in cultural change and making conversations about culture accessible and inclusive are key for lasting change.

From Values to Behaviors

However, having shared values is just the beginning. These values must be reflected in the day-to-day behavior in the workplace. A company culture becomes real and alive through the actions and decisions employees make every day. Therefore, it's crucial for leaders to lead by example and demonstrate how the values can be put into practice.

Creating a winning company culture is a complex process that requires commitment from the entire organization. By defining shared values and ensuring these values are reflected in daily work, companies can build a culture that supports their business strategy and promotes both employee and company success. 

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