Changing Culture at the Speed of Tech

Silicon Valley is synonymous with speed. It’s become a common narrative: the biggest innovations of the day are suddenly deemed obsolete, seemingly overnight, by the introduction of a fast-moving disruptor. The pace has never been faster; the pressure to disrupt never stronger. 

For every Google, Facebook and Salesforce, there are countless companies long forgotten. While the focus within the tech world tends to be on the product or innovation itself, leaders may be overlooking a significant contributing factor to its success: corporate culture.

Culture is critical to fostering the growth traits a company is seeking, whether it’s innovation, leadership, or ongoing product disruption. Simply put, delivering the right culture can drive high performance, influence business success and – in the case of the tech world – ensure a company’s sustained relevance in the marketplace.

According to Towers Watson [1], companies with engaged employees showed a 19 percent increase in operating income over a 12-month period. And more importantly for companies in the ever-evolving Silicon Valley, Gallup [2] found that companies with highly engaged workforces outperform their peers by 147 percent in earnings per share.