Creating and sustaining a strong corporate culture

Company culture is an important part of any organisation – how can you ensure yours is up to scratch?

A strong and vibrant corporate culture is – like many of the more complex facets of HR – hard to grasp. Immeasurable by analytics or statistics, it is a powerful tool that HR professionals sometimes struggle to sustain.

For D’neale Prosser, HR manager at IKEA Brisbane, the path to a strong culture starts with establishing some core values.

“I think it is very much about the humble beginnings of our company,” she told HC. “The true IKEA spirit is still built on our enthusiasm … our constant strive for renewal, cross-consciousness and simplicity in the way we do things.”

Prosser explained that IKEA looks at culture fit with every new hire, but the emphasis is really on co-operation and respect for one another, with bureaucracy stripped-back in favour of humble, limited stature and a strong feeling of teamwork.

She feels the emphasis on people and culture is what helps drive the business forward. “When we look at leading business through people we create movement and that’s something we think companies should do.”

“As fluffy as it might sound, happiness is not reaching the goal, happiness is being on the way,” she explained.

The line between individuality and collaboration is one that Prosser is proud to walk to generate a strong and rewarding corporate culture.

At the HR Summit in Brisbane, Prosser and Nick Gotsis, leadership and talent manager at IKEA Australia, will be presenting on how HR professionals can create and sustain a winning culture, covering topics such as:

  • Reward structures
  • Developing the business
  • Enabling change and finding better ways
  • Creating togetherness
  • Leading and developing people
  • Inspiring and clarifying

The HR Summit is the leading series of people management events in the Asia-Pacific region and now in its 11th year. Click here to register now.

 

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