You manage a mid-sized pharmaceutical or biotech company which is successful, has a clear vision and highly talented employees. But despite everything, things are not always progressing as you would like, e.g. the number of key employees leaving the company is increasing, recruitment of young talent is slow, employee motivation leaves a lot to be desired…

As a result, you cannot help your feeling that something is missing. And yes, you could be right, because these could all be signs that you lack a clearly defined corporate culture that is lived by everyone.

YOU DON’T BELIEVE IT? THEN PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

• Do your employees know the company’s values and goals and can they name them?
• Do your employees speak one language and do they communicate a consistent message about your company to the outside world?
• Act your employees as ambassadors for your company?
• Is your corporate culture adapted to the dramatically changed markets, the change in social values and the multi-layered personal ideas of your employees? And if so, when did you last do this?

If you can say „YES“ to all of the above: Congratulations, your company is a flagship company and is fit for the future.

If this is not or only partially the case – as is the case in many small and medium-sized companies in your sector – then you should definitely take action. A functioning corporate culture is not a “soft issue” or just a random combination of the terms “people-future-together”, but an essential success factor for every single company.

WHAT EXACTLY IS AN ACTIVE CORPORATE CULTURE?

Many large pharmaceutical and biotech companies have already understood the importance of an active corporate culture as a key success factor for their company. They have made it the focus of their corporate development. Those pioneering companies know:

• A well established corporate culture is the link between your corporate vision, your strategy, your processes and your employees.
• An active corporate culture ensures that people feel comfortable in their company, identify with it, work with inspiration and also convey their positive attitude towards the company to the outside world.
• An active corporate culture promotes innovation, boosts productivity, increases competitiveness and helps to attract young talent to your company while retaining established employees.

Well taken, but how to start the necessary transformation in your company, develop your corporate values and smoothly implement the associated cultural change?

HOW DO YOU ESTABLISH A CORPORATE CULTURE IN YOUR COMPANY?

What do you need to do? It is key to understand two essential things:

1. A corporate culture does not only consist of visible elements such as strategy, rules and goals. Above all, it consists of invisible elements such as human relationships, values, feelings, thoughts and individual needs. Corporate culture can be compared to an iceberg, where the largest, invisible part lies beneath the surface of the water.

2. The required change in corporate culture will only succeed if you are prepared to turn the iceberg upside down and concentrate on the hidden “soft themes”.

Conclusion – based on the British economist John Maynard Keynes:
“When my business environment changes dramatically, I also change my business strategy.“

And what will you do? Take action now!