Corporate culture: why video makes a difference | Responsive

“Creating meaning.” What is hidden behind this sentence that could be considered a maxim?

If you happen to hang out on social networks (which is very likely, because 80.3% of the population does), with the French spending an average of 1 hour 46 minutes per day on social networks (Source: Blogduateur), you must have already come across this kind of articles with the catchy title “Leaving Paris: they did it and tell their new life” or even “She is changing their life to raise snails in the Lot”. Although we can have fun, these slices of life are indicative of a very real trend, the desire to do meaningful work, and even ideally a positive impact.

In an interview with Ouest France in January 2023, the philosopher Julia de Funès reminded us well: “Retaining employees is no longer enough, the company must create meaning.” Work is increasingly perceived as a means in this search for meaning, and more as an end in itself. This is an observation that is all the more true among the youngest. “The raison d'être of a company is now unavoidable (...) If the company does not endorse a large-scale project (environmental, humanitarian, social, etc.) that is genuinely embodied, for its benefit, then it no longer makes sense” underlines the writer again.

Very precise selection criteria

Among the most cited criteria for choosing a job, we find the location, the salary, the missions offered, the economic health, but also the values of the company and the image it gives off. These are criteria that are becoming increasingly important. In 2017, only 51.3% of respondents said they chose a company for the values they shared with them, in 2022 they were 68%, and everything suggests that this figure should continue to rise.

One in two people say that they only apply for a job offer if they have a good impression of the company, which is why it is important to take care of their image and employer brand. The majority of people (76%) say they are even ready to change their sector of activity if the company is attractive to them. Attention, it is not enough to declare yourself an attractive company to be attractive. Candidates and employees are sometimes quite suspicious of brand statements. This is why many labels have emerged such as the Great Place to Work, or even CSR labels, which allow companies to be evaluated on specific criteria.

The importance of recruiting

Corporate culture is not something that can be decreed or defined overnight. It must be in line with the essence of the company. It must be formalized, illustrated in practices and above all, it must also be possible for all employees to be able to adhere to it. For example, Ikea develops a corporate culture around its Swedish origin, ingenuity and robustness.

We must also keep in mind that more than an identity, which can evolve over time, it is a feeling, a sense of the collective that we seek to forge.

That is why recruitment is essential. The company must have values, know how to communicate them, and thus attract talent who share these same values.

Corporate culture is a point that must be highlighted during job interviews. Once hired, the employee must be trained in it. Beyond attracting talent, a meaningful corporate culture also makes it possible to retain employees, making them the best ambassadors.

One of the main objectives of corporate culture is for employees to be able to appropriate values and best practices and create cohesion between employees. This makes it possible to limit conflicts, create a better atmosphere, and promote the involvement of everyone, especially in very competitive environments. Beyond the atmosphere, this therefore also allows for better economic results. An employee motivated by the values of the company will necessarily be more effective. On the other hand, a lack of value, a weak corporate culture or even a bad atmosphere can create a significant drop in motivation among employees and therefore a drop in results. According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 50 to 60% of lost working days are due to stress, which is all the more reason to create a favourable environment.

The balance between professional and personal life is also a criterion that is becoming more and more important. 52% of French people feel that they spend too much time at work at the expense of their personal life. Many companies have tried to overcome this fear, in particular with more flexibility in schedules, teleworking, but also by creating an office environment that is as pleasant as possible. New office buildings often offer many services that go well beyond work, such as concierge services, gyms, daycares, allowing employees to save time, and making the line between pro and personal more blurred. But be careful not to confuse the working environment and these side effects. As the INRS points out, a good working atmosphere means good management, an adapted workload, achievable deadlines... Table football in the break room is good, but it has nothing to do with work as such.

Tell the story of the company

Concretely, when you want to set up a corporate culture, you need to have something to tell. Every company has a story, you have to find a way to tell it that makes sense for employees. At Apple, there's the famous “it all started in a garage.” Of course, it is not forbidden to give yourself a lyrical impetus to embellish the truth and make it worthy of a true founding myth. Do not hesitate, because a corporate culture that is too neutral is not at all differentiating.

This story must then be fed by concrete elements that create cohesion, ranging from the company charter, to more fun elements such as team lunches, team building, dynamic internal plenaries, video series such as interviews, portraits or motion design... see fictions such as web series.

A good atmosphere is clearly a favorable ground for creating emotion. There is no meaning without emotion, and there is no emotion without meaning, both form a virtuous circle that is self-sustaining. It is this emotion that differentiates one company from another, that makes it unique and that makes a customer, a candidate, turn to it rather than another.

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