The Importance of Company Culture: A Core Focus at Atla Group
In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business landscape, company culture has never been more relevant or essential. A strong culture not only provides direction and purpose but also serves as the foundation for long-term success. At Atla Group, we firmly believe that company culture is more than just words on a wall—it’s a lived experience that shapes how we interact, innovate and serve our clients.
Why Culture Matters
In a world where businesses are defined by their ability to adapt and innovate, culture is the glue that holds everything together. It influences decision-making, encourages collaboration and fosters trust within teams. More importantly, it helps attract and retain the right people—those who resonate with the values and vision of the business.
Employees today want more than just a salary; they want purpose. Clients are looking for more than just a service; they want partners they can trust. A well-defined company culture answers both these calls. It creates an environment where people feel valued, empowered and aligned, resulting in stronger relationships internally and externally.
The BILT Model: Foundations of Good Culture
At Atla Group, we have embraced the BILT Model (Brand, Individual, Leadership, Team) introduced to us by consultant, Travis Gale from Appletree, as a framework for building and sustaining a strong company culture. This model emphasises that “Good Culture is Good Business” and highlights the importance of creating a culture that is a lived experience, not just an aspirational concept.
A key insight from the BILT Model is that leaders’ values often override brand values. This underscores the need for leaders to consistently live out the company’s values and ensure they align with the organisation’s broader mission. By talking about values openly and regularly, we create a culture of accountability and shared purpose.
Culture at Atla Group
At Atla Group, we make culture a priority. Our values were not developed in isolation—they were crafted with the help of Travis, who continues to guide us in ensuring these values are woven into the fabric of our business.
We don’t just talk about culture; we live it. Whether it’s in our decision-making, our interactions with clients or how we approach challenges, our culture informs everything we do. It drives us to provide exceptional service, nurture meaningful relationships and create a workplace where people thrive.
Conversations That Shape Culture
Culture doesn’t develop in a vacuum; it requires active and ongoing engagement. At Atla Group, our start point was a set of culture conversations across the business facilitated by Travis where he teased out common themes that make us who we are. Our next phase of growth in this space is ensuring we live the values and understand them in the same way across the group. This is a dynamic piece of work that our leadership team are committed to and continue to invest in.
A Commitment to Accountability
One of the key lessons we’ve learned from working with Travis is the importance of accountability. Crafting values is the easy part—ensuring they remain relevant and lived is where the real work lies. That’s why we regularly reflect on our culture, celebrate how we have integrated our values and are open to adapting them as we grow on our journey.
This commitment to accountability ensures that our culture isn’t static; it’s dynamic, evolving alongside our business and the needs of our clients.
Leadership’s Role in Culture
Culture evolves and behaviours from the top down have a major influence on an organisation’s culture. Leaders must own the culture of their organisation and reflect on whether it aligns with their desired vision. If it falls short, introspection and commitment to change are essential. And it goes without saying that once you pin your aspirations to the wall be prepared to be held accountable; something leaders must embrace.
Conclusion
At Atla Group, we are proud of the culture we’ve built and continue to nurture. We are committed to creating a business that doesn’t just serve our clients but also makes a lasting, positive impact on everyone we engage with.
We are excited to have had Travis Gale as one of our most recent podcast guests so look out for his episode on The Deep Dive Powered by Atla.im. His insights into crafting and sustaining meaningful company culture are invaluable and we can’t wait to share this conversation with you.
If you’d like to learn more about Atla Group as we continue to explore how culture shapes businesses, people and the world around us please reach out to me at lyle.krause@atla.im.
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