What I Learned About Culture From This Year's Tech 50’s Culture Finalist

Leaders of tech companies may be building the future, but they are deeply committed to the people behind it. They understand that the future of their companies depends on the teams that create, consult, and code. They are shaping the technology of tomorrow, and even with a crystal ball, we cannot predict how technology will impact our workplaces. What we do know is the effect of our efforts today—our influence on people, the companies we build, and the cultures we nurture to help them be happy, supported, and prepared to succeed.  

The balancing act required of leaders to drive revenue, respond to investors, innovate for customers, and create great workplaces to keep employees happy, growing, and successful is nothing short of a high-wire act, as this year’s Tech 50 theme reminded us.  

While there could only be one winner of the culture category at this year’s Tech 50 Awards, every finalist had valuable culture insights.  

1. Ask your employees and listen to the answers. When 113 Industries heard their employees wanted a 4-day workweek, they tried it, even though it wasn’t the norm. (We did the same at KCA, and it’s a game-changer.) 

2. Keep humans at the center of the tech experience. Tia Christopher of The Orange Peel Collective emphasized honoring people’s lived experience and celebrating the value they bring as we design tomorrow’s technology. 

3. People are your greatest asset, maybe your only one. Joe Mastrangelo focuses on hiring for grit, resilience, and teamwork, because skills can be taught. Creating a culture where people can be their authentic selves is what unlocks performance. 

4. Make culture measurable. Fraser Kitchell from KEF Robotics builds cultural objectives directly into business goals, OKRs, Rocks, or whatever system is in play, and holds leaders accountable for them. 

5. Integrate culture into your value proposition. Jordan Joltes at Tru Summit reminded us that in a crowded marketplace, the only real differentiator is your people. Invest in them and let their talent be the reason clients choose you. 

6. See leadership as stewardship. Aleta Heard models what she calls “stewardship” by creating spaces where all voices are heard and by leading with curiosity. For her, culture starts with being a learner first. 

7. Build what was missing for you. Will Allen created the Will Allen Foundation to fill the skills-development gap he himself experienced. When you build what you once needed, you build something countless others will benefit from. 

The message is simple: remember the people. Don’t become so customer-obsessed or technology-focused that you overlook the people who make it possible. Build for them. Fix the bugs in their journeys. Remove the friction points in their experiences. It’s the right thing to do, it’s the human thing to do, and in the long run, it’s the smartest strategy you can choose.