Achieving Excellence: Nurturing Culture at Rollee

Insights and Strategies for Building a Thriving Workplace Environment

In December 2023, Rollee achieved an impressive Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) of 83, reflecting a high level of employee satisfaction and loyalty within the organization. As the People Manager responsible for enhancing the employee experience at Rollee, I can assure you that this remarkable achievement didn't occur by chance but rather through a deliberate focus on culture. At Rollee, each member, from the founders to every employee, plays a vital role as guardians of our company culture. 

Our recent eNPS survey highlighted key themes such as the significance of fostering a positive work environment, cultivating trust in leadership, promoting transparency, nurturing work-life balance, and fostering a culture of recognition.

In this blog post, we will delve into the key factors that contributed to this achievement and elaborate on how we embraced these principles to foster a thriving workplace culture.

Reasons behind our strong culture

Cultivating Trust:

At Rollee, trust is built on the foundation of being results-oriented. Employees are empowered to manage their time effectively and are evaluated based on their contributions and achievements.

Our unlimited paid time off policy has been implemented to foster this culture of trust. And I can tell you: it works. I have been doing quarterly time off reports to ensure people take time off. Remarkably, our average time off taken per employee in 2023 was 38 days, a testament to the success of our policy. Even more compelling, we observed that employees who used substantial time off demonstrated great results in their work. The main goal behind our unlimited time off policy was to give flexibility and work life balance because we believed that it would enhance productivity, and it’s what we’ve been experiencing.

And how do we measure this productivity at Rollee? By being data-driven. Employees collaboratively set ambitious goals with their managers using OKRs (Objectives, Key Results) and establish clear measurable objectives. They undergo comprehensive assessments every 6 months through our 360-degree feedback system. This structured performance review process not only provides valuable insights but also fosters transparency and honesty within our organization, further reinforcing the culture of trust and accountability.

Embracing Transparency and Honesty:

At Rollee, we embrace a culture of open communication where employees are encouraged to express their thoughts and concerns openly. Aligned with our core value of "Stand up Speak up," we have established robust feedback mechanisms to foster transparency and honesty within the organization. Through regular feedback loops, we facilitate direct communication channels between employees and management. This proactive approach ensures that any issues or concerns are promptly and constructively addressed, thereby deepening trust and collaboration across the organization.

Moreover, we actively encourage the sharing of positive feedback among peers. Recognizing and celebrating exemplary work is paramount to our culture. To facilitate this, we implemented HeyTaco in September 2023, enabling colleagues to send "kudos" to one another via Slack—a gesture that has been warmly received and greatly appreciated by our team.

Another impactful initiative at Rollee is the quarterly presentation delivered by our CEO to the entire organization. These sessions serve as a platform for sharing crucial updates about the company's current state, reflecting on lessons learned from the previous months, outlining strategic priorities, and celebrating the remarkable achievements of our team. This transparent communication not only keeps everyone informed and aligned but also fosters a sense of unity and shared purpose among employees.

My tips as a People Manager to build a robust culture

1. Define the values with the whole team

At a really early-stage of a start up, it’s important that founders align on the values that they want to promote. At Rollee, the founders conducted an initial Values exercise to set the groundwork for our cultural foundation. They ensured clear communication of these values to all newcomers, emphasizing the importance of alignment. As the team grew, we conducted a comprehensive Values workshop during a seminar, translating these principles into actionable behaviors. This proactive approach fostered a shared understanding and commitment to our core values across the organization, even as we expanded.

For example, our value of “One Team One Dream”  was elaborated upon with specific behaviors: Significance of the dream - strong conviction that we’ll be the leader of our market and we make this dream a reality. “We work as a team to achieve our mission. We value the “WE” over the “I” fostering synergy and inclusivity. We are transparent by sharing progress, communicating across teams and helping each other. Instead of making assumptions, we encourage asking questions. We share knowledge with our coworkers. We remain aligned with our goals. We work diligently and celebrate our successes together”. It's imperative that these behaviors are understood, effectively communicated, and internalized within the organization, as they serve as the cornerstone of our culture.

Moreover, it's essential for leadership to embody these values in their actions and decisions, setting the tone for the entire organization. When leaders 'walk the talk,' they demonstrate authenticity and integrity, earning the trust and respect of their team members. This alignment between words and actions fosters a culture of accountability and inspires everyone to adhere to the same values in their own conduct.

2. Recruit the right people who fit with your values

Then, recruitment plays a pivotal role in shaping your company culture. We understand the urgency often felt in startups, where speed is of the essence, and resources are limited. Having navigated similar challenges ourselves, we've learned from our own missteps. My advice is: invest the necessary time and resources in finding candidates who truly align with your company's values; rushing the recruitment process can prove costly in the long run if you end up with mismatched hires. 

At Rollee, we initiate the process with a cultural fit call led by myself as the People Manager. During this conversation, we delve into our results-oriented culture, organizational structure, and workflow dynamics, providing candidates with a clear understanding of the environment they would be entering. I inquire about their preferences, aspirations, and workplace expectations to gauge alignment with our culture.

Additionally, I recommend involving colleagues in the recruitment process. It allows for broader perspectives and ensures that potential hires have the opportunity to interact with team members, fostering a sense of connection and evaluating mutual fit. 

Don't underestimate the importance of starting the recruitment process over if necessary. The right fit is paramount to the success and cohesion of your team. In my opinion, it’s far better to invest the time and effort in finding the ideal candidate than to settle for someone who doesn't fully align with your culture and values. 

3. Strengthen bonds and boost performance through face-to-face collaboration

Now that you've assembled a team of talented individuals, it's imperative to focus on retaining them. While trust, transparency, and flexibility serve as foundational pillars for talent retention at Rollee, we believe that fostering a sense of enjoyment in the workplace is equally crucial. Integrating fun into the work environment isn't always straightforward, but when it's ingrained in our values and we recruit individuals who resonate with that culture, it becomes a natural part of the experience.

In our most recent eNPS survey conducted in December 2023, the resounding response to the question, "What makes Rollee such a great place to work?" was consistently "The People." This response speaks volumes about the camaraderie and warmth shared among our team members, and the deep respect people have for their colleagues’ achievements and expertise. To nurture and strengthen these interpersonal bonds, we've established a hybrid culture that fosters both virtual collaboration and periodic in-person interactions. Recognizing the value of face-to-face connections, we convene every 2 months depending on the geographical zones where our teams are based. These gatherings not only facilitate brainstorming sessions and team-building exercises but also afford us the simple pleasure of enjoying each other's company over shared meals and activities.

In addition, we host annual offsite retreats, gathering the entire Rollee team in exciting locations around the world. From Paris in 2022 to Marrakech in 2023, these offsites serve as occasions to not only celebrate our collective achievements but also to honor the dedication and hard work of our employees in advancing Rollee's mission. It's through these shared experiences and moments of celebration that we strengthen our bonds and reinforce our commitment to each other and to our shared goals.

The benefits of these in-person meetings extend far beyond mere camaraderie. We've observed tangible improvements in our team's performance, as being physically together allows us to tackle challenges more efficiently and collaboratively. The immediacy of face-to-face interactions fosters quicker problem-solving and enables us to find innovative solutions collectively, all within the confines of a single room. This heightened synergy and productivity reaffirm the importance of periodically coming together as a team, underscoring our commitment to optimizing both our interpersonal relationships and our professional output.

4. Constantly Measure

To understand how well you’re doing or where you need to improve, I recommend using the eNPS survey. It offers a quick and efficient way for employees to provide feedback, offering valuable insights into their satisfaction and engagement levels. At Rollee, we conduct this survey through Bamboo HR every 6 months, allowing us to systematically gather feedback, analyze the results, and develop actionable strategies for enhancement. This cyclical process not only enables us to track our progress over time but also demonstrates our commitment to continuous improvement. Furthermore, by sharing the results and action plans with the team, we foster transparency and collaboration, ensuring that everyone is aligned in driving positive change and nurturing our culture.

We recognize that the journey towards a great culture is ongoing. We are aware that it’s a constant work in progress, and that’s why we advocate for the constant measurement and evaluation of our efforts through tools like the eNPS survey. By soliciting feedback from our team members and implementing strategies for improvement, we ensure that our culture continues to evolve and adapt to meet the changing needs of our organization.

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As a People Manager, I am committed to championing these principles and fostering an environment where every individual feels empowered and valued. Interested to delve deeper into this topic? Feel free to reach out, and I'd be delighted to engage in further discussion.

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