Corporate culture is like the soil on which everything is developing in your organization. Without the right conditions, nothing can grow, and even less prosper. It’s not just about writing values on your website, it is also what’s going on when no one looks.
Bianca Spruitleadership and management consultant at Germination coachinghighlights the importance of a strong and inclusive corporate culture to promote innovation and retain talent in the financial technology sector.
I recently talked to a brilliant woman in the field of Fintech. She is highly qualified, deeply technical and loves her work. But here is the trap: she is autistic and suffers from ADHD, and she is terrified about talking to her manager. She is convinced that they would find a way to drive it out if they knew it.
Whether this fear is justified or not, the culture of his business did not show him that he was prudent to be herself. And this fear has real consequences. She retains innovative ideas because she does not want to risk revealing her unique way of thinking.
Pretend to integrate – hide – has harmful consequences. Employees are exhausted, take leave or go completely. The cost for the company is astronomical. Not only in terms of recruitment and training, but also in terms of reputation. The news spreads and before you realize it, the company has a bad reputation as an employer.
The best organizations with which I have worked are not content to talk about their values: they live them. Whether it is actively looking for talents from under-represented groups, calling on recruiters truly focused on ED & I, refining job offers to make them more inclusive and follow that (and who does not succeed) in his recruitment process. Then they adapt.
This type of intentionality strengthens confidence. This shows the employees to whom they belong, creating a space where new ideas flourish and where people really want to stay.
The magic of a coaching culture
Want to energize your culture? Develop a state of mind of coaching throughout the business. This is the opposite of what managers entrust the tasks to their team and tell them how to solve the problems: it is a question of asking the right questions. When someone submits a problem to its leader, instead of offering a solution, they are asked:
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- What is the risk if we do not act?
- Who in the company has an expertise that we can use?
- What have you seen before who could help here?
This transfers property to the individual, allowing him to think critically and solve problems. It’s not just good for the company, it is also a transformer for the development of the person.
A coaching culture uses the diversity of your team. Various perspectives, combined with better collaboration, lead to more judicious decisions and more innovative results. And when everyone feels valued? The retention is done on its own.
The traps of a toxic culture
I also saw the back of the medal. A company had a CEO which seemed to be brilliant in appearance. But here is the problem: when he asked for ideas, what he really meant was guess what I already think. The employees kept their heads down to avoid anger if their idea was different from his. Ideas were dried up and the diversity of thought was nonexistent because they only hired people like the CEO.
Yes, they offered incentives to financial retention, but all they have done was keep the people who are dissatisfied longer. When these people finally left, the company has lost time, money and innovation opportunities.
Give managers the means to control culture
A strong culture begins with leaders who do not hesitate to approach difficult conversations. Those we avoid-around mental health, inclusion, or even just asking: do you feel like you have your place here? – are those who count the most.
Managers do not need all the answers. In fact, claiming that they are part of the problem. Vulnerability, honesty and the desire for listening are what strengthens trust and inclusion.
Why is it important in Fintech
Fintech evolves quickly, constantly evolves and is based on innovation. If your culture does not support employees – if it does not help them feel safe, heard and valued – you don’t just lose them. You lose ideas, creativity and collaboration that are the engines of success in this space.
Companies that embody their values, empower their teams and adopt coaching will always be in the lead. Culture is not a pleasant thing; It is the basis of everything else.
Final reflections
Adopt a good culture and everything else follows. It is the secret ingredient of retention, problem solving, inclusion, innovation and the kind of reputation that makes people want to work with and for you. In Fintech, where change is constant, a good culture is not optional. That’s it.