7 of the best company culture examples (plus takeaways) We showcase leading companies that cultivate thriving, innovative and cohesive work environments - and what you can learn from them. Written by Emily Clark Updated on 3 September 2024 Our experts We are a team of writers, experimenters and researchers providing you with the best advice with zero bias or partiality. Written and reviewed by: Emily Clark Writer Every company is different when it comes to its organisational culture.But regardless of how individual it is, your company’s culture should always embody the values, beliefs and purpose set out by your mission statement. Culture is a driving force behind what your company stands for – and how it operates on a day-to-day basis – so it’s also a fundamental aspect of attracting and retaining employees and supporting productivity and growth.Developing and defining your own culture can be tough, so we’ve handpicked 7 companies with successful organisational culture practices to inspire and implement in your business. In this article, we'll showcase: Shopify is scrapping the corporate ladder Southwest Airlines puts employees first Airbnb lets employees work from anywhere Patagonia encourages employee involvement The HEART of HubSpot Cisco rewards hard work Zappos takes culture seriously from the start 7 inspiring company culture examplesThere are many company culture types out there – from a competitive market style to a family-like clan structure – some that have worked well and some that haven’t. Here are some prime examples of companies with cultural practices that have fostered and supported positive outcomes.1. Shopify is scrapping the corporate ladderClimbing the traditional career ladder typically involves managerial promotions. But the problem with that is that it replaces the passion in someone’s job with managing people, reviewing work and office politics. Shopify’s culture tackles this by encouraging a non-managerial career path. This means that employees can choose to become a manager or a “crafter”, referring to non-managers with specialist roles like engineering, fulfilment and delivery or product development. The earning potential is the same for both and the change was introduced to employees not interested in becoming managers and allowing them to focus on what they value the most.The ecommerce platform also introduced its new meeting policy in 2023, in which it removed recurring meetings with more than three participants, enforced “no meeting Wednesdays” and limited big meetings to a six-hour window on Thursdays.Shopify currently has a “B+” score on Comparably for employee satisfaction. Takeaway: not everybody wants to be a manager Research from Workmonitor revealed that 39% of employees don’t want career progression as they are happy in their roles. Meanwhile, another study by YouGov reported that 47% of UK managers felt “too overwhelmed” with their routine responsibilities to perform their duties effectively. Career progression shouldn’t have to mean stopping what you excel at to coach others on how to do it. When discussing career growth with employees, make sure to consider what this means to them and whether they’d prefer to pursue an exclusively specialist path rather than managerial positions. 2. Southwest Airlines puts employees firstHow does culture affect a company’s relationship with customers? The organisational culture may be internal, but it profoundly impacts how companies interact with their audience. When employees embody that culture, it translates into consistent and authentic customer interactions.A prime example of this is Southwest Airlines, known for its culture of prioritising employee well-being over its customers. While this can be seen as controversial, the major US airline emphasises that happy employees lead to happy customers.The characteristics of its organisational culture include “employee-centred appreciation”, “recognition and celebration”, “living the Southwest way and working the Southwest way”. For example, valuing its staff through formal and informal recognition and celebration events like company-sponsored parties. It also focuses on employee performance for the benefit of its customers, such as motivating employees to ensure safety, regulatory compliance and friendliness when providing service.Southwest has scored highly for its culture, boasting an “A+” rating and a Best Company Dallas 2022 award. Takeaway: employee satisfaction is equally important as customer satisfaction There’s no doubt that employee satisfaction is crucial for building a positive company culture. After all, companies with high employee satisfaction outperform competitors by 147% in earnings per share, while highly engaged teams show a 21% greater profitability.Being customer-centric is important, but it shouldn’t completely overshadow employee wellbeing. What goes on internally within your company will translate into your external brand, so it’s important that employees are satisfied with your organisational culture, as this will ultimately impact your reputa 3. Airbnb lets employees work from anywhereAside from its favourable perks and benefits, Airbnb is hailed for its inclusive company culture, including allowing employees to live and work anywhere.Developed two years after the COVID-19 pandemic, this policy was designed to reflect the company’s commitment to improved flexibility and work-life balance. Its key features include allowing employees to work from home or the office, move anywhere in the country they work in, as well as travel and work around the world.Airbnb also embraces an entrepreneurial environment and flexible structure, where employees can take responsibility for their work and pursue their own initiatives and ideas. Part of their core values is to “be a cereal entrepreneur”, where employees are encouraged to think creatively, take risks and contribute innovative ideas to drive the company forward.Airbnb has a “B+” rating on Comparably, scoring most favourably for CEO approval, environment, executive team, benefits and future outlook. Takeaway: flexibility and work-life balance are a must Flexible working is no longer a perk, but a necessity for many employees, and many startup cultures are embracing this. Moreover, 71% of employees look for flexibility when considering a new role, while 69% say the ability to work remotely is important.Offering flexibility not only improves employee satisfaction but can be beneficial for your business in several ways. Most notably, it can increase productivity levels, retain new talent when hiring and improve employee engagement. For example, research by CIPD revealed that 46% of employers agreed that employees within their organisation are more productive when working from home or in a hybrid model, increasing from 43% in 2021. 4. Patagonia encourages employee involvementAt Patagonia, it isn’t just a job for employees. Instead, it’s about getting involved with the company’s commitment to protecting the environment.Employees are encouraged to do their part in taking care of the environment, as well as getting involved in sustainability projects. For example, its Environmental Internship Program allows employees to take up to two months off to work for the environmental group of their choice while continuing to earn their usual salary and benefits.Patagonia has a family-focused culture, prioritising employee, flexibility and career growth. Its most unique benefits include on-site childcare at multiple worksites, a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) program for dependent care, life/disability insurance and a bail-assistance program. Patagonia has an “A” score on Comparably, as well as impressive ratings for its CEO, environment, executive team, leadership and management. Takeaway: practice what you preach When hiring new employees, it shouldn’t just be about filling a vacancy. Hiring for skills and experience is important, but you should also ensure that potential employees are connected with your company’s core values and mission statement.23% of prospective employees claim that a company’s values have the strongest influence on their decision to accept a job offer. Around 55% also reported that they would resign from a new job if the organisation didn’t align with their personal values and expectations.It’s important to communicate your values from the start – when recruiting – to ensure a candidate’s views will align with your culture. Culture consultants can also be a good avenue to take to help with aligning and communicating your values. 5. The HEART of HubSpotHubSpot’s core values are rooted in its “HEART” acronym – Humble, Empathetic, Adaptable, Remarkable and Transparent – used to help guide employees to interact with each other and their approach to solving customer problems. The company’s culture code states that “culture is to recruiting as product is to marketing”. This means that just as a great product attracts customers, a strong and positive culture attracts the best talent.Transparency and accessibility are also important factors in HubSpot’s organisational culture. Adopting a no-door policy, employees of any level can access anyone within the company. Everyone has access to the same data to gain better insights, leading to a better understanding of HubSpot’s customers.Career development is also a cornerstone of HubSpot’s culture, offering learning opportunities like its Free Books Program, Learn@HubSpot online platform, HubTalks and more.As well as its “A+” rating, HubSpot also holds awards for the best company in leadership, career growth, HR and outlook. Takeaway: culture is like a product for your employees Just as a product attracts customers, a positive culture will attract and retain the best talent. Salaries simply aren’t a priority when looking for work anymore. 46% of job seekers consider organisational culture as a deciding factor in the application process. 15% also declined a job offer due to poor company culture.The application process goes both ways. A company will interview a candidate to determine if their skills, experience and values match the requirements of the role, but it’s important to remember that candidates also consider whether the company is right for them. Culture plays a significant part in this process, so it’s crucial to maintain a positive culture to attract the right people. 6. Cisco rewards hard workAn often-used company culture quote is “Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret”.Recognition and rewards can contribute to a happy workforce. By acknowledging employees’ efforts and achievements, a company can boost morale and align individual contributions with its organisational goals.Cisco takes this a step further with its Connected Recognition platform, designed to offer a peer-to-peer recognition and reward program for employees. Within just the first year of its development, 85% of employees gave or received Connected Recognition awards, with some using it to take a well-deserved vacation or give back to charities. Employee engagement increased too, as the company found a strong correlation between engagement and the awards.Cisco’s culture is rated “A-” on Comparably. It has also received awards for best company outlook, benefits, leadership and CEO. Takeaway: always recognise employee efforts A little recognition can go a long way. Around 83% of employees feel that recognition impacts their motivation to succeed at work, while 77% reported they would be more productive if they were recognised more frequently. Even if you don’t fully invest in employee recognition software, there are many ways you can effectively acknowledge and reward employees for their hard work. For example, sharing regular positive feedback, whether it’s face-to-face or virtually. Celebrating their achievements with the rest of the team is also an effective way to recognise their efforts. You could also offer a monthly or quarterly award for those who are performing the best. This boosts employee satisfaction, makes them feel engaged with your values and helps to ensure everyone is aligned with your company’s mission. 7. Zappos takes culture seriously from the startThe term “culture eats strategy for breakfast” rings true for many businesses. That’s why Zappos focused on its culture right from the start.Despite the cultural shake-ups after Amazon acquired the company in 2009, it’s still well-regarded for its fun and innovative work environment. This is achieved through the four Cs – commerce, customer service, company culture and community.Further emphasising the community aspect, Zappos developed its core values by giving employees a say on what those should be. From there, they were narrowed down to a top 10, including “embrace and drive change”, “create fun and a little weirdness” and “pursue growth and learning”. Culture is considered right from the start at Zappos. Prospective employees are required to take a culture test, where they’ll meet other team members to see if they’ll work well together. New employees are also offered around $2,000 to leave the company if they don’t feel they’ll fit in well.Zappos only holds a “C-” score on Comparably, possibly due to dissatisfaction with Amazon’s acquirement. However, 77% of employee reviews were positive, with benefits, compensation and office culture rated highly for culture dimensions. Takeaway: mutual fit is crucial Going back to hiring, culture fit is an important consideration. Typically, a culture-fit interview includes asking the candidate questions about their values, work style and ability to collaborate with others. This is to help determine whether these aspects align with the company culture, ensuring a mutual fit.A candidate’s cultural fit is crucial in the application process. A study by Robert Walters Group revealed that 73% of professionals have left a job because of a poor cultural fit. On the other hand, 81% of hiring managers believe that candidates are less likely to leave when working for an organisation with a good cultural fit. ConclusionEvery company has its unique approach to organisational culture – whether it’s through prioritising employee wellbeing, offering the best perks or simply recognising efforts. Each example not only showcases their success in building a good culture but also emphasises the importance of these approaches for both the organisation’s values and employee satisfaction.Whether you’re developing your company culture or want to change your current one, you can take these examples as inspiration. Share this post facebook twitter linkedin Written by: Emily Clark Writer With over 3 years expertise in Fintech, Emily has first hand experience of both startup culture and creating a diverse range of creative and technical content. As Startups Writer, her news articles and topical pieces cover the small business landscape and keep our SME audience up to date on everything they need to know.