How to build a successful company culture

Jimmy Bent is all about culture. 

After nearly 20 years as the heart of Bespoke’s company culture, Jimmy shares his journey in Episode 4 of the Bespoke Careers Employer Branding Playbook.

Listen on Spotify.

Company culture has been at the forefront for firms aiming to attract and retain top talent for a while. But you can’t just ‘roll-out’ culture and implement it company wide. Equally, it’s rarely something you can ‘set and forget’, leaving to grow organically.

A recent global survey by Bespoke Careers found that 35% of architects and designers ranked company culture among their top three priorities when considering a new job opportunity. It was the fourth most popular consideration, behind only work-life balance, flexibility and pay.

Clearly, for professionals in architecture and design, the environment they work in plays a major role in career decisions. But what exactly defines culture, and how should you be thinking about it in relation to your firm’s employer brand?

We sat down with Jimmy to find out.

What is company culture?

Culture is the lived experience within an organisation—the values, goals, and behaviours that shape the work environment. The employer brand, in turn, represents how these experiences are perceived by both current and prospective employees.

We’ve all heard the phrase “Instagram vs Reality.” This is a helpful way to understand the relationship between culture and employer brand. Your external employer brand channels—the polished, outward-facing image of your company—represent the 'Instagram' version of your firm. Meanwhile, your internal culture is the ‘reality’ behind the scenes. The closer these two align, the stronger and more authentic your employer brand becomes. Essentially, your culture puts the ‘walk’ in ‘walk the talk.’ When your public image genuinely reflects employee experiences, you build an attractive, trustworthy, and resilient employer brand and a workplace top talent will flock to.

To find out more about creating a strong public image through employee advocacy, listen to our conversation with Alex Her. Or for tips for creating a great careers website, listen to our conversation with Nikita Morell.

“Our culture is about how we exist together, and what we’re aiming for as a business,” says Jimmy. “Our business, for example, is a people business. We value relationships and social orientation. Everyone who joins us needs to value that.”

The term ‘cultural fit’ is often used in hiring, but too often it lacks real definition, becoming a vague reason for rejecting candidates. In truth, finding the right cultural fit isn’t about looking for clones of your top performers; it’s about identifying those who share core values and a commitment to the company’s vision, while bringing diverse perspectives to the table. It’s a blend of alignment and variety—a unified culture strengthened by different ways of thinking.

Many firms want candidates who align with their values, but too few have defined what those values actually entail in terms of daily behaviour, priorities, or working style. For instance, if sustainability is a core value, then it makes sense to look for candidates who actively care about environmental responsibility. 

“Company culture isn’t just a buzzword,” says Jimmy. “If we can’t define it, we can’t hire for it.”

Tips for building an authentic workplace culture

Empower employees with autonomy

Culture isn’t built by adding surface-level perks or amenities. As Jimmy puts it, “you can’t just stick a ping-pong table and a bowl of fruit in the lunchroom and call that culture.” It’s shaped by how people experience their work daily. “One of the most impactful elements of our culture is giving our employees room to be themselves while maintaining the service standards clients expect.” Flexibility in style and approach allows team members to produce their best work in ways that feel authentic to them. If you’ve hired well, and your employees share your vision, values and design ethos, allowing them the freedom to express themselves becomes not just essential, but a natural extension of your brand. Their individuality empowers them to become authentic brand ambassadors, producing work that genuinely aligns with your mission.

“One of the biggest joys in my role is watching people join us and develop and grow into who they want to be. That’s an environment I’ve always wanted to create and keep,” says Jimmy.

And this isn’t just about their work output either. It includes how they communicate, dress, and present their entire personal identity. While it's still important to maintain professionalism in the workplace, firms with great culture are made up of people who feel empowered to bring their true selves to work.

Find your culture advocates

Culture grows through collective effort, and social interaction plays a huge role. “You can’t do it on your own,” says Jimmy. “Culture relies on everybody in the business.” The role of leadership in building a strong culture is identifying employees who are naturally adept at social interactions and empowering them to become culture champions. This involves providing them with the necessary time, resources, guidance and in some cases, incentives to become champions of your workplace culture. 

“Find those people who are really socially driven and encourage them to head up your social committee,” says Jimmy. “And that shouldn’t just involve organising trips to the pub. Lunch clubs, family picnics, team building activities are great, as are allowing employees to advocate for more tangible benefits they’d like to see like Friday breakfasts or volunteer days.” Whether by leading social events or organising activities that strengthen team connections, leaders who recognise and support these efforts are the ones who succeed.

Share the vision and build cohesion

“You have to be able to communicate what you’re aiming for, and get them to come along on the journey with you,” says Jimmy. Alignment around a common vision unites teams, especially as they expand. “Strong internal communication has been essential for us,” Jimmy explains. “Regular team meetings, shared stories, and event photos in internal newsletters have created a sense of global unity.” This helps employees feel part of something larger, even as the team has grown internationally.

Infuse culture into the hiring process

The hiring process is often the first encounter candidates have with a company’s culture. “Every interaction—from job descriptions to interviews—reflects how an organisation lives its values,” says Jimmy. Remember, hiring is a two-way street; top candidates are assessing you just as much as you are them. At Bespoke, we treat interviews as a chance to connect personally, approaching them like a casual, friendly chat rather than a formal boardroom interrogation.

Some may view personality tests and psychometric assessments as little more than a novelty, akin to asking someone about their star sign. However, at Bespoke, we’ve utilised these tools for over 15 years and found them to be invaluable. Understanding the characteristics that contribute to an employee's success in your firm is essential. If you’re unsure, consider asking your team to complete them to identify common traits that align with your core values. Then, when hiring, offer these assessments to potential new hires to determine if they possess the qualities of your current team or could introduce fresh perspectives that enhance your organisation.

To enhance this hiring process though, it’s important to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. “What I don’t want to do is just fire questions at someone. You have to be able to read people. If you notice they’re nervous, you should be trying to take the pressure off until they feel more comfortable. That’s how you get the best out of them.” 

Maintain open communication during tough times 

Having been through his share of ups and downs in architecture and design recruitment, Jimmy says honesty from the leadership helps create stronger and more resilient workplace cultures. “If you're transparent with your team, get them involved and show a bit of vulnerability, you can make them understand that they're part of the journey”.

In times when companies need to make employees redundant, preserving culture and morale is even more critical. “Over-communicating is really important – you need to get people to understand that this is happening and why it's happening,” says Jimmy. 

Following the correct procedures for handling redundancies is the first step, but what follows afterwards is just as consequential. “Once the process has been completed, regroup and talk to your team about how they're feeling,” he says. Take this time to hear team members’ concerns, assure them that their roles are safe, and explain the next steps the business is taking. 

"After those difficult periods, bringing everyone together for a social event to unwind and recharge is a good way to support camaraderie", Jimmy says. 

Ultimately, it’s best to over-communicate before tough business decisions need to be made, he says, to avoid catching employees off-guard. “You have to be transparent and open with your teams about how the business is performing so that it isn't a shock, and you know they're on board with the difficult decision that has to be made.”

Lasting impact of an intentional culture

A strong company culture supported by open communication, empowered employees, and thoughtful hiring processes creates an authentic employer brand that resonates. At Bespoke Careers, this commitment to culture helps us match architects and designers with workplaces where they can thrive. For companies aiming to strengthen their teams, creating and maintaining a culture that aligns with core values is one of the most effective steps to attracting top talent.

Interested in finding out how your team can make culture a hiring advantage? Contact us today to discuss strategic guidance on building your team with the right talent.