Why Culture Is Important In A Company's Success Story

“Being a great place to work is the difference between being a good company and a great company.” You all must have heard this quote very often, right? A company becomes great because of its people and, most importantly, its culture. Coming from an HR background, I have learnt how important a great culture is in any company and how it impacts and affects any organization, its people, and its efficiency.

hat is this company culture though? Let's understand that first. The definition of company culture encircles the beliefs and behaviors of any business, as well as interactions between management, employees, and clients. It is implied, not defined, as culture exists in our everyday lives as well. The main reasons to invest in an improved corporate culture is an improved brand identity, image, and employee retention. A culture transforms a business into a passionate team.

Reports show that organizational culture has a direct impact on performance and, more importantly, on employees' wellbeing. A healthy culture addresses both of these areas by finding an appropriate balance used on company values.

At Lemon Yellow, our Founder and Co-founder, Mr. Sameer Bhambere and Mr. Amit Bhambere, during our induction, told me that LY is all about two C's: Color and Culture. Color because being a design company we must be creative, innovative, and work in line with design aesthetics. Culture because it binds everyone together like a family and gives work a sense of purpose & a feeling of belonging.

A big part of creating a positive work culture is making sure every employee feels a sense of belonging. Interning with Lemon Yellow, I have never felt all the things they scare you for being an intern! It has the best culture! Wondering why am I so confident in saying this? C'mon, let me take you through the LY culture.

LY's culture is based on the Jeevanvidya philosophy designed by Satguru Shri Wamanrao Pai. It guides us in building initiatives that drive harmonious thinking rather than just positive thinking. Every activity and action is consciously driven by the thought of ‘for the betterment of each other'.

We start our morning with a universal prayer by Satguru Shri Wamanrao Pai and our national anthem. We believe in 2 things above all - wellbeing of everyone and the growth of our country. This daily recital is our effort at strengthening that thought so that we can bring it into action. This is followed by our Vision, Mission, Core Values, LY Oath, HR Policy, and Tagline - which works as a reminder of what we have to work towards when we start our day. We have a set goal that we all work for with focus, dedication, and passion.

We try to start every day on a positive note with a Thought On The Wall - a concept where each Lemon notes down about that one positive thing, one moment of happiness, that made their day. Believe me, it teaches you to be grateful for the small things that matter. Adding to this positive approach, each of our Lemons also play a motivational video, turn by turn, which never ever fails to add a smile on our faces.

One thing of our culture I miss the most in this lockdown is Fitness Thursdays! Every Thursday, we all wrap up our day a bit earlier than usual and go out to the turf and play cricket for 2 hours straight! We believe in the fitness of both mind and physique, which is why this weekly activity is something we follow religiously, without fail. I can't wait to go back out on that turf again, post lockdown of course.

We also have a day dedicated to learning. Arguably, the great sculptor Michelangelo, at the age of 87, said, “I'm still learning.” To keep up with this ever-evolving world of knowledge, we conduct Learning Saturdays on the working weekends, where each Lemon presents a session on his/her/their area of interest and expertise. This helps us discuss new things and open our minds to a vast universe of knowledge sharing.

Why do we have so many things focusing and revolving around culture? Statistics show that 39% of employees say being happy in their role or at their place of work would motivate them to work harder. Ask any top performer what keeps them at their company and you're bound to hear this answer: the people. It's because a workplace culture focused on people has profound appeal.

And we at LY are all about building a happy company. That's why we also end our days with some fun activities every day, so that nobody feels dragged down and dejected, especially in this lockdown. Ending a working day on a happy note always feels good, doesn't it?

Summing it up - a successful organizational culture brings together the people of a company and keeps them aligned. When culture is clear, different perspectives can gather behind it with a common purpose. Lemon Yellow is one such example of its unique culture. The culture at LY sets expectations for how Lemons should behave and work together, and how well they function as a team. In this way, culture can break down the boundaries between different teams, guide decision-making, and improve workflow overall.

When we say we design digital happiness - we literally mean it. It's not just designing happiness for clients, it's designing happiness for our Lemons as well.