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Cover On November 11, Gen.T teamed up with BMW Malaysia to host a panel discussion on building a winning company culture at Tatler House in Kuala Lumpur

In the November 11 edition of our Cloud Talk webinar, we found out how leaders get workplace culture right

A company's culture is key to its success. It's a code of conduct that determines how things are done within the company, how appealing it is as a workplace to current and potential hires, and how productive its people are. 

If you like your company's culture, you’re often happier with your job and more inspired to work harder and collaborate. In fact, an inspired employee is almost 125 percent more productive than someone who’s merely satisfied with what they are doing, according to Bain & Company. On top of feeling inspired at work, younger generations also expect to have meaningful opportunities to shape their company’s growth as well as their own. 

But building a strong and healthy company culture is easier said than done. What are some of the best practices out there, and what should leaders reassess about theirs to make it better? 

We discussed these questions and more during the November 11 edition of Cloud Talk, where three business leaders shared their insights.

See also: Cloud Talk: Gearing Up For The Next Black Swan Event

Above Cloud Talk: Building A Winning Company Culture

THE SPEAKERS

Kevin Wu is a serial entrepreneur who has also started successful ventures in home furnishings, legal services and alternative proteins. The 2021 Gen.T honouree’s newest business, Ento, hopes to convince more consumers to look at crickets as a nutritious and sustainable food source.

Nadiah Wan is the chief executive officer of Kuala Lumpur’s Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara, the flagship hospital of TMC Life Sciences, where she also serves as the group chief executive officer. It was her childhood fascination with science and biology that led her down the healthcare path and eventually helming a company with over 800 staff. 

Chin Ren Yi is co-founder of MyBurgerLab, a popular burger restaurant chain beloved by Malaysians. Besides its good food, the company is also driven by the entrepreneur’s desire to support and train the young people it employs in hope of building better communities.

Here are some highlights from the discussion.

Tatler Asia
Chin Ren Yi Managing Director and Co-Founder, MyBurgerLab
Above Chin Ren Yi, managing director and co-founder of MyBurgerLab
Tatler Asia
Kevin Wu, CEO and Founder, Ento and Nadiah Wan, CEO, Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara
Above Kevin Wu, founder and CEO of Ento, and Nadiah Wan, CEO of Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara and group CEO of TMC Life Sciences

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

“It is important to trust [your employees] first until they prove that they cannot be trusted,” said Nadiah. “When we restrict ourselves from empowering them, we are also limiting ourselves. By entrusting our employees with information, they may come up with unexpected ideas.”

EMBRACING THE DIFFERENCES

“A healthy company culture shouldn't be solely focused on success and having no failure,” said Chin. “There are times I would disagree with the ideas my employees come up with, but I believe it is really important for them to experience both success and failure in what they do. It's about building a company that has a great culture and a team that feels like a family, a single unit.”

CULTURE CHANGES WITH TIME

“Nothing is fixed, but we do have to be adaptable as we mature our business over time,” said Wu. “Running three separate companies, I employ people from various age groups, from boomers to Gen Z. I wouldn't say each venture has the same culture, but I try to instill openness and transparency in all of them.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF OPEN COMMUNICATION

“To build a great culture, you need to constantly communicate the reason behind why you are doing certain things,” said Nadiah. Don't expect people to read your mind and know what is happening. In your mind it might make sense, but to other people, it may not.

“As a leader, you also need to listen to the wants and needs of your staff. You need to understand what are people's underlying motivations and see how you can help them achieve their goals.”  

Quotes are edited for clarity and brevity.


This edition of Cloud Talk was co-organised in partnership with BMW Malaysia. Visit our Events page to see what else is happening.

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