Values help to define a company’s identity and purpose, helping to attract and retain employees, build a loyal customer base, and are often a basis for decision-making. Shaping a company’s culture and values influence the behaviour of its employees, thus affecting its reputation.
A strong set of values can help to create a positive and productive work environment where employees feel valued, respected and motivated. Naturally, this leads to increased productivity, employee retention and customer satisfaction, which in turn can lead to higher revenue and profits.
COREMATIC is built on three pillars of culture. Passion, trust, and fun are the building blocks of our work environment. Combining our values with the flexibility of work hours and location and a culture of failure, COREMATIC’s business culture has laid the foundations for an open and collaborative work environment.
Passion
A key aspect of business culture in an engineering environment is passion. Engineers must be passionate about their work and driven by a desire to create something new and innovative, thinking outside the box to come up with creative solutions to problems.
Engineers take great pride in their creations and find motivation in the sense of accomplishment that comes from seeing their ideas come to life. This passion is evident in their work, and it is what sets engineers apart from those who simply follow a set of instructions or a blueprint.
This requires a culture that values experimentation, risk-taking, and continuous improvement. To be innovative is to be passionate. Companies that foster a passionate, innovative culture are more likely to develop new products and services that meet the changing needs of their customers.
Trust
Another important aspect of business culture in engineering is trust. Engineers must be able to trust their own abilities and the abilities of their colleagues to design and build safe and reliable products that work. They also must be able to trust the materials and tools that they use to create their designs. Trust is crucial in the engineering process; without it, the final product would not be successful.
Trust is critical for building the foundations of teamwork. Engineers often need to work together, so they must be able to collaborate effectively in order to achieve common goals. This requires a culture that values diversity, inclusivity, and mutual respect.
An important aspect of teamwork is communication. Without effective communication, engineers cannot execute projects and solve problems efficiently. Engineers also need to be able to communicate with clients in order to understand their needs and deliver solutions that can meet them. Clear and effective communication is essential for building trust and fostering positive relationships internally as well as externally.
Fun
Engineering culture is not just about work; it is also about having fun. Engaging in social activities, team building, and other activities is essential to help them bond with their colleagues and create a positive work environment. This fun and light-hearted atmosphere can lead to more creativity and open-mindedness, which can ultimately lead to better ideas and solutions.
Incorporating fun into the workplace can also help foster innovation, as employees may feel more relaxed and open to new ideas when they’re having fun. By creating a fun and enjoyable work environment, an engineering business can not only improve the well-being and satisfaction of its employees but also enhance its overall success and competitiveness.
There are many ways to incorporate fun into an engineering business environment, such as hosting team-building activities, celebrating successes and milestones, and organising social events. For example, a team-building activity such as a puzzle or escape room challenge can help build trust and encourage teamwork among employees. Celebrating milestones and successes, such as completing a project or hitting a company target, can boost morale and make employees feel valued. Social events, such as company outings, can provide opportunities for employees to connect with each other and build relationships outside of work.
Flexibility
One of the main benefits of working at COREMATIC is the ability to work from home and set your own hours. Working Monday through to Sunday, engineers can work at a time that is most convenient for them, whether it be early in the morning or late at night, during the week or on the weekend. The flexibility of remote work can also help to reduce the stress of commuting and increase productivity as engineers have more control over their environment and their other personal commitments.
Working from home and not being constrained to set hours offers many benefits, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. Companies should encourage communication and team-building activities, finding ways to make sure their remote engineers feel connected to the team and to the company.
On top of the many remote working tools for communication, such as Discord and Teams, COREMATIC holds face-to-face monthly meetings and social activities to keep its employees engaged with all departments and keep the team spirit up.
Culture of Failure
Engineering is a field that is built on experimentation, experimentation and iteration. Engineers are constantly trying new ideas and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. With this constant experimentation comes a culture of failure. Failure should not only be accepted, it should be embraced as a necessary part of the process of innovation.
One of the key elements of the culture of failure at COREMATIC is the idea that mistakes and failures are not only acceptable but they are also valuable learning opportunities. Engineers are empowered to take risks and try new things, even if it means that they might fail. This mindset helps to foster creativity and encourages engineers to think outside the box and come up with new and innovative solutions.
Sharing mistakes and learnings with their colleagues helps to create a culture of open communication and continuous improvement, where engineers feel comfortable discussing their failures and learning from them.
A perfect example of the COREMATIC failure culture is one of our personal agricultural projects. Over the past few years, we have tried three to four different approaches. We have moved on to the next one and then the next one. The failures are not seen as bad; they are seen as an achievement.
