Organisational culture is a critical component that drives growth and success in any business. According to Fred Nyawade, Head of People and Culture at Siginon Group, culture determines how people use technology, systems, and buildings. He notes that while buildings house an organisation, technology accelerates it, and systems support it, culture is what determines how people use all three. This was evident in a situation Nyawade experienced 15 years ago at a busy logistics hub.
The incident involved a young operations supervisor named Jossy, who paused the dispatch of a high-value shipment despite the system showing no alarms and the paperwork matching the loading instructions perfectly. His colleagues grew impatient, but Jossy requested a manual review of the documents, which uncovered an error that would have resulted in a major customer receiving the wrong order. Nyawade says that what saved the day was not the quality of the warehouse, fleet, or technology, but a culture that taught Jossy to do the right thing, even if it was not the easy thing.
Nyawade notes that organisations invest heavily in visible, countable assets such as buildings, equipment, and digital platforms, but these are insufficient for creating lasting advantage. He says that in an increasingly competitive world, the true differentiator is the quality of a company's people and the culture that shapes how they think and act under pressure. Research supports this, with Gallup's Q12 meta-analysis confirming that employee engagement is linked to customer loyalty, profitability, and safety.
Harvard Business School's work on psychological safety also highlights that people perform better when they can ask questions, admit mistakes, and offer ideas without fear. Nyawade says that silence is expensive and that a culture where people feel safe to raise concerns prevents small issues from spiraling into large failures. He notes that people are strategic assets that only create value when they are trusted, developed, listened to, and connected to a purpose.
Leaders must translate ambition into action by communicating clearly, listening honestly, and staying close to the real work to understand the challenges employees face daily. Nyawade also emphasises the importance of learning and building a culture that helps employees adapt and apply technology wisely. He notes that a tool in the hands of a disengaged employee is just a tool, but in the hands of a skilled, empowered team member, it becomes an engine for innovation.
Employee wellbeing is also critical, as people carry their own anxieties and ambitions into the workplace. Nyawade says that respecting this helps build the loyalty required to sustain a culture of making a customer happy. He notes that for leaders, the message is clear: investing in infrastructure is not the same as investing in the organisation. The true organisation is found in the daily decisions people make, the standards they uphold, and the courage they show when shortcuts would be easier.
Ultimately, Nyawade says that a culture where individuals consistently choose responsibility over convenience and purpose over compliance cannot be purchased. He notes that when customers remember exceptional service, they are remembering culture, and when employees stay through difficult times, they are responding to culture. The most valuable asset in any organisation, he concludes, is found in the behaviours displayed when nobody is watching and the standards held when the pressure is greatest.
Key points
- Organisations invest heavily in visible assets, but culture is the true differentiator.
- A culture of psychological safety and employee engagement is critical for success.
- Leaders must prioritise building a culture that empowers employees to make the right decisions.
