Culture is Not a One-Size Fits All

By: Siri Svay

What defines strong company culture? Compensation? Benefits? Perks? Full transparency - I never knew what “company culture” was until 2018. Since then, I’ve observed organizations’ cultures and even their subcultures, and what I’ve deduced is there isn’t a one-size fits all answer. Every culture is unique. Cultures may have similar elements, but culture is fostered in the nuances and moments throughout the workday. It’s how people engage, collaborate, and work together to achieve shared goals.

As the Culture and Engagement Specialist at IAT Insurance Group, the company culture continues to inspire me. Here’s why:

Leadership buy-in. Everyone at IAT has ownership in building culture, but tone starts at the top. A supportive leadership team is crucial to a thriving culture, and I work closely with ourCEO, Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Council, and Management Committee members. When leaders buy-in on a shared vision and values, impactful programming becomes possible.

Feedback is a gift. This is the mantra our CEO, Bill Cunningham, instills in us. Our goal at IAT is to provide a positive employee experience, so employees’ honesty is valuable. Whether it’s through our annual culture survey, managers’ one-on-one meetings with employees, or discussing important topics with our IAT Ambassadors group, employees have various channels to share their voices (even anonymously), be heard, and help drive change. Candid feedback reveals areas of opportunity and informs efforts to close gaps.

Commitment to Inclusion & Diversity. We intentionally lead with inclusion. Why? Because when people feel included, their perspectives are heard and that diversity of thought drives fast, stronger solutions. This is a core message in our “Conscious Inclusion” training for all new employees. Inclusion and diversity are interdependent – one cannot be effective without the other. We hold ourselves accountable for keeping both at the forefront of our ideas, actions and decisions, ensuring all employees have access to opportunity and are contributing to culture. .

Meaningful work with a growth and development mindset. We recognize that employees spend most of their day at work, so we want to ensure the work they do has impact. We present opportunities to lead initiatives, assume committee leadership roles, and expand their knowledge and skills through our IAT University course library. Employees can also participate in our mentoring program as another way to learn and broaden their perspectives. The work doesn’t have to stop at the desk, though. Employees can get involved in the community by leveraging memberships we offer with marketplace partners for supplemental networking and leadership development, or they can leverage our IAT Gives program by using paid volunteer time or donating funds with our 4-to-1 corporate match to support causes they care about.

Don’t be fooled – culture isn’t built overnight and checking boxes won’t amount to much. IAT has taken intentional actions over the last decade to build its culture from the ground up. Sure, we have the tools, building blocks, and accolades from Fortune and Newsweek to validate our efforts, but the work is ongoing. It takes consistent teamwork to nurture the strong foundation and to help culture flourish sustainably for our future leaders.