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The joint development of corporate values puts the building blocks for a solid workplace culture in the right position. But the mere fact that the workplace culture is not built on a shaky scaffold does not build it. It needs values that are lived by management and employees. One company that has been very successful in building this is Sunrise. In this interview, its Chief Human Resources Officer, Tobias Foster, explains why this development of values was so important for them, what impact workplace culture has on day-to-day business and recruiting and why it is better to be a speedboat despite a strong storm.
Great place to work: While researching for this interview, I came across the company values "courageous", "intuitive" and "positive" on your website - how did you come up with these values?
Tobias Foster: We developed our values in a long process involving numerous interviews and evaluations together with our employees. And because the values were developed in-house, they are also practiced on a daily basis. For example, our people know the difference between courageous and reckless - even when we are pursuing ambitious goals as a challenger in the telecommunications industry, such as our pioneering role in 5G. We are intuitive in our offering, for example: our customers receive products that are tailored to their personal needs. We offer experiences that inspire. And we are positive because our employees are highly motivated to go the extra mile for our customers. Our optimism is infectious and helps everyone move forward - and motivates them to do even more.
Great Place To Work: You say that your values are practiced every day. How is this reflected in your workplace culture?
Tobias Foster: A good example of where we were courageous, intuitive and positive was in the preparations for 5G. Although the frequencies had not yet been auctioned, we were courageous and positive and had already planned and driven forward the construction of the infrastructure down to the last detail. Intuitively, we listened to our customers' wishes because they determine our priorities, which is why our organization is strategically aligned with all customer contacts. And in order to find creative solutions for customer requirements, our employees are given a great deal of responsibility and expertise. That's why we invest heavily in the frontline and place great value on their input. We have our own Sunrise Academy with a range of training courses aimed in particular at our frontline, where, for example, customer feedback is analyzed in detail and very specific solutions are developed.
Great Place To WorkBut giving employees responsibility and authority requires trust - to what extent does trust play a role at Sunrise?
Tobias Foster: Trust is the basis for our actions. We would not be able to act courageously, intuitively or positively if trust were not there. It stands for less PowerPoint and more implementation. And precisely because we work across all units at Sunrise, trust is crucial for close and comprehensive cooperation in a very dynamic market. Our working time regulations are very generous because we trust people to manage themselves: at work, in the home office or on the road. In short, we have a culture of trust rather than a culture of control.
Great Place To WorkSunrise has over 1800 employees - how do you ensure that the workplace culture is lived?
Tobias Foster: We have a very dynamic team spirit. Our employees are proud of the company and identify strongly with it. And we do a lot to achieve this: regular company updates from the CEO for all employees, where they are informed about ongoing projects, CEO breakfasts, measurement of employee satisfaction using eNPS, a wide range of sports activities, home office and state-of-the-art tools for working digitally and much more. And, of course, regular employee surveys, such as those conducted by Great Place To Work®, also help to take the pulse.
Great Place To Work: You mention the Great Place To Work® employee survey - what role does it play in the development of your workplace culture?
Tobias Foster: A very important role. All the feedback we receive shows us where we want to improve as a company. From this, we derive specific measures to promote our employees even better. Be it through performance management, development programs, on-the-job and off-the-job training, on-the-job focus, project tasks, promotion opportunities and, last but not least, internal moves. We can fill a third of our vacancies internally!
Great Place To WorkWorkplace culture also helps in recruiting new talent?
Tobias Foster: Yes, very strongly - although gut feeling always plays a major role. Diversity is important, and we are quality and performance-oriented. Going the extra mile for our customers is firmly anchored in our DNA. Candidates with these qualities are the best fit for us. You won't find empty phrases with us. We live by what we say in our employer branding and communication: we are courageous, intuitive and positive.
Great Place To WorkIf you think back from the start of the value development until now: What have been your biggest learnings, or best practices, along the way so far?
Tobias FosterEncourage and challenge. We set ourselves very high goals, divide them into sub-goals with the teams and implement them pragmatically. We have flat hierarchies and management is close to the employees. Thanks to the move to Ambassador House in Glattpark, we have also moved even closer together in terms of space. The Executive Leadership Team (management) also works very closely together. We are an independent and "self-confident" company that determines its own culture. Fast feedback, close management, quick decisions. We are a speedboat and not a tanker. Sometimes it storms a little more, but overtaking is all the more fun!
