A story on how I helped rebuild the engineering culture

As a technology leader, I was brought in to help a struggling tech company experiencing high turnover rates and missed deadlines. I knew something needed to change, so I defined and implemented a strong engineering culture emphasizing inclusivity and openness, respectfulness, ownership and responsibility, no shortcuts, professionalism, quality, and craftsmanship.

I worked with the technology leadership to tailor their engineering culture to their needs. We held town hall meetings to share our vision for the exercise; we worked on various strategies to build confidence and engagement from the employees so they could feel open to sharing their thoughts, ideas, and concerns. Over time, the company began to see the benefits of having a well-defined culture. They experienced a significant reduction in turnover rates and missed deadlines, and employees were much happier and more productive.

What was the secret in there? Implementing a mentoring program, career planning for everyone, and a diversity and inclusion program.

Cultural change takes time and a persistent effort over months and years to stick. When it sticks, everything works smoother. Changing your culture is a deliberate act and requires continuous monitoring. Companies can change. Of course, smaller companies can change faster than bigger organizations. It’s easy after some time that parts of the culture no longer look important and it's not addressed, especially with the rotation of employees. But reality has often told us that working on culture is a living need that must adapt to a changing environment and company. Repetition will make it perfect.