Top Game-Changing Company Culture Examples

Most company cultures are broken.  

We’ve normalized the hustle, the grind, the “always-on” mentality – but at what cost? 

Over 80% of executives admit their company culture isn’t healthy enough. And employees are making their discontent known; more than half are already looking for the exit.  

The truth is, we’ve built a system that thrives on burnout. We’ve accepted that stress, long hours, and unyielding competition are part of the “corporate grind.” And while some executives may argue that this is a natural part of the business game, the truth is, it’s simply unsustainable. The results speak for themselves—employees are quitting in droves, mental health issues are on the rise, and productivity is plummeting. 

There are companies that have always known the key to success—and it wasn’t more hours or cutting people down to size. They knew the secret: prioritize people over profits, and the profits will follow. They took risks to put their employees first—not just for the sake of empathy, but for the sake of productivity. 

They took calculated risks that prioritized their people over profits in the short term, knowing that the long-term rewards would be worth it. So many companies are stuck in old paradigms, still chasing outdated metrics of success—like long hours and ever-increasing productivity—while ignoring the one factor that actually drives innovation and growth: employee engagement. 

Before we explore the companies that got it right, let’s take a step back and define what makes a great company culture. 

What makes a great company culture? 

Employees at Great Place to Work Certified™ companies are 34% more likely to say their company delivers top-tier customer service. Why? Because when people feel valued, respected, and aligned with a company’s mission, they show up differently. They give more. They innovate more. They stay longer. 

 So, what separates the best from the rest? Let’s break it down. 

1. Keeps its promises 

Leaders who say one thing and do another are quick to lose credibility. When companies keep their commitments—whether it’s on delivering products on time or following through on growth opportunities—they create a bond that employees can rely on. Research from Great Place to Work shows that employees at companies where leadership’s actions match their words are five times more likely to want to stay and 11 times more likely to say it’s a great workplace. 

2. Respects employees 

Respect goes beyond politeness—it’s about valuing employees as humans with lives outside of work, offering flexibility, recognizing their contributions, and ensuring they’re heard. It’s evident in how employees are trusted to work remotely, set their own hours, or even how they’re treated during challenging times. Employees at companies with high respect ratings are 34% more likely to believe their company’s customer service is excellent. 

3. Creates equal opportunities for all 

No one wants to work in an environment where they feel left out or overlooked. Employees want to know they have an equal shot at success. And the numbers don’t lie; employees at top companies rate equal pay and recognition 37-42% higher than the national average.  

4. Promotes a safe space for ideas 

When employees feel safe to speak up, ideas flow, and innovation thrives. Great companies create an environment where employees can express ideas without fear of backlash. Companies that encourage idea-sharing are 31 times more likely to be seen as a breeding ground for innovation. Think about the impact that has—employees are 9 times more likely to say their company is a great place to work and 4 times more likely to proudly share where they work. 

5. Leads with values, not strict rules 

When you lead with shared beliefs, employees don’t just follow the rules because they have to—they follow them because they believe in them. Employees at these companies don’t just feel like they’re doing a job; they feel like they’re part of something bigger. Companies with strong, values-based cultures have employees who are more motivated and more loyal. Your values shape your culture, and your culture shapes your success. 

20 Company Culture Examples  

However, these companies understood the value of culture and started adopting employee-first approaches. Since then, they have stood out for their work culture. 

As a result, they could attract and retain talent, close culture gaps, design detailed employee wellness programs, and even handle remote work circumstances. Read below to find out how. 

1. Tata Group
2. HubSpot
3. Starbucks
4. Netflix
5. Gillette
6. Asana
7. Deloitte
8. Adobe
9. Airbnb
10. Google
11. Walgreens
12. Zappos
13. Keka
14. Spotify
15. Slack
16. Patagonia
17. Pixar
18. Salesforce
19. Flipkart
20. Zoom

1. Tata Group – Revitalizing core values 

The Tata Group known today, is India’s largest conglomerate of around 100 companies covering several sectors like chemicals, engineering, energy, consumer products, etc. It was founded in 1868 with a mere capital of ₹21,000.  

For a fairly long time, the culture at Tata varied from company to company. There was not a clearly defined culture. It also lacked a systematic approach to managing innovative performance, and the employees were unaware of the group companies’ innovations. They were also not particularly proud of them. So, people started saying that they had a ‘cultural problem.’ However, just a few years ago, the Tata Group was rated one of the world’s top ten innovative businesses. What changed?  

In 1990, when Ratan Tata stepped in as the chairman of the Tata Group, he changed the winds of the Tata Group. He reinforced the core values the Group had been built upon. He and his team introduced ‘Tata Innovista,’ an award system that turns innovative behaviors into an organizational sport. Tata Awards attracted over 30,000 participants from over 30 countries. He also put forward TCOC (Tata Code of Conduct), and around 7,20,000 signed it, making it one of the world’s most-followed codes of conduct. 

2. HubSpot – Developing a culture through feedback 

HubSpot says, “We obsess over our culture just like a product. Because culture is a product.” They are building two products – one for their customers and another for their employees. The team has successfully built a culture that they claim is an ‘operating system’ that powers HubSpot. Their 128-page Culture Code has been viewed around 6 million times. This is one of the top reasons people want to work for HubSpot. 

Just like any other company, HubSpot did not always have its culture nailed down. 

Behind the curtain are hundreds of hours spent by the co-founders interviewing and collecting employee feedback on what they love and do not love about the culture. Just like you would for a product, the co-founders began understanding the customers’ needs (employees) to build the product (culture) and documenting the use cases to ensure they were happy with the product. Just like how a product is never completed, HubSpot constantly optimizes the culture according to the practical use cases of the company. 

The co-founder Dharmesh Shah’s mantra is, “You should be working more on culture than you likely are right now.” 

3. Starbucks – Investing in upskilling the staff 

Frappuccino on your mind? Starbucks is the go-to. But when we think of the best company cultures, Starbucks may not be the first company that comes to mind. If truth be told, Starbucks was able to make that impact on the customers solely because it built a culture on the experience of being a part of Starbucks – whether customer or employee.  

There was a time when Starbucks almost disappeared because its culture had taken a backseat. It focused too much on its expansion rather than building more power experiences. In the end, it had to lay off thousands of employees and shut down about 900 stores. Starbucks struggled to keep up with the tough competition in the market, failed to promote a sense of belongingness in the employees, and steered away from providing customer service.  

Its culture had been extinguished, and the company was on the brink of shutting down completely, never to be seen again. Imagine a world without iced brown sugar oat milk shook espresso or pumpkin spice lattes. 

After a year, an ex-CEO, Howard Schultz, returned to Starbucks as the company’s CEO and steered the company through the waves of difficulties. When he observed that the workers had neither teamwork nor the drive to bring the company’s values to life, he shut down all the stores for around 4 hours to conduct a drill on mission and values. About 10,000 managers gathered to rediscover their sense of purpose. Then, amidst the global financial crisis, when other companies were taking cost-cutting measures, Starbucks began investing in staff training, coffee tastings, and courses. Ultimately, Howard Schultz rekindled the relationship with the employees and ensured they felt cared for. 

Now, the employees behind the counter have a common purpose and achieve great things together. Starbucks succeeded in taking an ‘employee-first’ approach and finally created a sense of belongingness. It reignited the culture that had been extinguished. 

4. Netflix – A culture of accountability 

Netflix’s culture deck prioritizes company culture and talent management, which was thought of as a little crazy by other companies. Its commonsense approach to culture, as they call it, has inspired many organizations worldwide. However, this approach transformed Netflix from a DVD shipping company into a leading streaming service provider. This was the center of conversations in HR because that approach made Netflix successful. Soon, other companies began adopting the same strategy. 

The company’s chief talent officer at the time, Patty McCord, had redefined the way company cultures are built by listening to people rather than following established models. Instead of listing the company’s core values like every other organization, McCord went ahead and decided to write down the things that the company valued, and what they expected from their people. For instance, if the company wanted courageous employees, they made sure employees knew what “courage” looked like and didn’t look like. 

At Netflix, there is no focus on building a good company culture but a ‘winning culture’ that is not for everyone. It has shaped its culture upon freedom and responsibility. The CEO, Reed Hastings, has developed a culture where everyone shares information boldly and openly, which means the senior-level managers are brutally honest about performance. The employees are given the freedom to share their opinions and effectively criticize the decisions at the managerial level. All Netflixians are encouraged to be creative and make their own decisions while also being accountable.  

Netflix has developed a perfect culture for employees who value consistent excellence and seek to challenge themselves. 

5. Gillette – Winning with Diversity 

Gillette is a leading male brand delivering incredible grooming experiences for men. Gillette has one of the most innovative and diverse workplaces. Despite ethnic and political differences, employees of Gillette have been able to showcase incredible teamwork. Treating everyone with equity is a part of Gillette’s culture. In fact, Gillette’s diversity is why the teams can deliver company’s values. The company is built upon quality, innovation, and trust. 

The company’s slogan for 30 years had been, “The Best a Man Can Get.” However, as the definition of masculinity changes with time, it becomes pretty challenging to adapt to the changing stereotypes on men and endure them. But Gillette has continuously gotten past the stereotypes of men by advertising on trans men and men’s vulnerability, and even changed its slogan to, “Is This the Best a Man Can Get?” 

6. Asana – Promoting open discussions on culture 

“Culture is not beer on Fridays.” says the Head of People Operations at Asana. The founders are former Google and Facebook employees who have always made culture a priority from the very beginning.  

Dustin Moskovitz and Justin Rosenstein, the founders, avoided a culture where free lunches and ping-pong tables are deemed to satisfy their employees. Since they have made culture as big a priority as the product from the first day itself, they received a rare perfect rating on Glassdoor and a spot-on Glassdoor’s Top 10 Best Places to Work in 2017.  

Asana also had its own share of ordeals when it came to culture. For instance, it gave junior employees the freedom to have ownership over decisions, but senior employees were negating their decisions. Asana quickly restructured the way responsibility was viewed because it wanted to cultivate a culture of open-mindedness. They managed to achieve this by treating culture as a product. They looked at culture as something that needs to be created with the utmost thought, dedication, and team effort, just like any product. It also needs to be tested and retested, to ensure the perfect version has been achieved. 

They ensured that employees from various departments met on a regular basis to openly discuss where they are from a cultural standpoint. The feedback would then be taken into consideration and changes would be implemented on a mutual basis. Asana also actively surveyed their people on an anonymous as well as one-on-one level. This information was spread on a transparent level to one and all, and changes made after taking everyone’s opinion into account. 

7. Deloitte – Innovating through inclusion 

Deloitte has been focusing on inclusion for more than two decades. Their commitment has led them to attract and retain a diverse workforce. They have also won several awards for their inclusive and diverse culture. Deloitte has consistently provided guidance for both leaders and employees.  

Even during the pandemic, they guided the leaders in directing teams who were working remotely. The company even started a mental health podcast series to manage employees who were being isolated or feeling overwhelmed.  

Since Deloitte’s inclusion of employees had been the backbone of its culture, it could endure the challenges of promoting a sense of belongingness during tough times. Its culture is all about collaboration, inclusion, high performance, and purpose. 

8. Adobe – An employee-centric wellness program 

According to Adobe, it aims to “Put the employees first wherever they are in the world.” It was recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the world’s best 100 companies to work for. It is world-renowned for offering the best employee perks. Offering paid medical leave, family vacations, yoga, and cafes make up a massive part of Adobe’s culture.  

By preference, Adobe stays away from financial incentives and focuses more on intrinsic motivation. The company says, “We look at our [employee] well-being program as a culture maker, not a money saver.” Adobe conducted surveys and interviewed employees to build its detailed wellness programs focusing on different groups. It was able to successfully put employees first by designing an employee-centric wellness program that focuses on mental, physical and financial health.  

9. Airbnb – Living out the core values 

Airbnb is an online marketplace that helps people find short-term accommodation or those who are willing to rent their space in a specific region. It serves around 220 countries and regions. Airbnb served more than 1 billion guests in 2021. They have created an authentic and unforgettable experience for their hosts and guests for over 15 years.  

A few years ago, the CEO, Brian Chesky, released an article titled, “Don’t f*ck up the culture.” Airbnb was at the peak of success when it received an investment of $150M. According to the investor, one of the main reasons they had invested was the company’s culture. So, Brian Chesky had to make sure they didn’t break the culture, and he evidently withstood the challenge while strongly defending and developing the culture.  

Brian says that a great culture is built by upholding the core values. It’s all about living out the values, from hiring to writing an email to working on a project and even when you are walking in the hall. But what is culture? Brian says, “Culture is simply a shared way of doing something with passion.” He further elaborates that each employee in a company carries the weight of living out the values. Just like families or tribes don’t need any processes because they trust each other, organizations, too, must frame fewer corporate processes so that everyone can be independent and autonomous. 

10. Google – Creativity and fun 

Google was first started as a project to create an unconventional search engine. Today, Google is the world’s most popular search engine and one of the most sought-after workplaces. Whether it came to products or culture, Google has always taken an unparalleled approach. One of the most popular things Google is known for is its ‘fun’ workplace. Google has everything from professional hairdressers to video games to micro kitchens. It has built a workplace where employees believe they are working for a cause and to make a difference.    

However, this is only a tiny part of what makes it a great culture. It did not turn its culture into a great one overnight – it took years to refine it and the efforts of both employers and employees. Google constantly strives to develop its environment so that employees can think creatively. It even launched various employee engagement strategies. For example, it conducted studies to determine how much paid time off new mothers needed while providing financial assistance. Additionally, Google’s HR adopts a proactive approach and communicates the company’s core values. 

By focusing more on an employee-engaging culture, Google was able to draw away from a formal workplace and dull meeting rooms. Its employee-to-employee learning helps peers learn professional skills. The company has managed to create a culture of robust learning and knowledge sharing. Recently, Google announced a flexible work schedule to give more freedom and bring about creative ideas. 

11. Walgreens – Leveling up employee engagement 

Walgreens is America’s second-largest pharmacy store chain. It specializes in health-related information, health and wellness products, filling prescriptions, etc. It is built on the culture of caring and helping others no matter where they are. 

The CEO of Walgreens, Rosalind Brewer, constantly creates opportunities for employees to interact in the organization at least once a week. Brewer doesn’t want the employees to get too detached from the company’s culture, especially in a hybrid working model. The decisions continuously align with Walgreens’ culture, mission, and values. The company is on a mission to elevate the level of employee engagement and follow a “bottom-up” approach for employees to provide input into operations. Walgreens’ values are being bold, honest, and decisive. It aims to treat all its employees and applicants with dignity and respect.  

12. Zappos – Keeping employees and customers happy 

The employees in Zappos are known for dressing as fuzzy animals in meetings. It has always tried to live by its foundational value of delivering happiness to customers, employees, and vendors. Ensuring these three elements automatically took care of profits.  

Since its inception, their ten core values have been treated as assets. Recruitment is also done on the basis of cultural fit rather than a job fit. People are hired based on how well they relate to these values and how much they mean to them. The cultural fit interview carries half the weight of whether the candidate is hired. Cultural fit is given as much importance as the qualifications and experience of the candidate. New employees are in fact offered $4000 to quit after the first week of training if they realize or decide the job is not for them.  

Promotions and employee raises come from building capacities and skills. Every employee has to pass a skill test for any pay raise. Performance evaluation also happens on the basis of adherence to core values. One manager, employee or office politics is not the basis for raises. Portions of budgets are kept aside for team building efforts and employee development. 

13. Keka – Employee flexibility is the key 

Initially, Keka was bootstrapped for nearly 7 years. With time, it grew in number from both employee and customer perspectives. Throughout the years, the company has constantly fostered a culture of accountability. Keka avoids a typical corporate culture and focuses more on flexibility and employee engagement. It has taken various initiatives to promote the same.  

It initiated sports tournaments, book clubs, workplace parties, training, flexible work hours, and many more. Keka made sure that employees not only came to the office for work but also to engage. Employees aren’t bound by corporate processes but come together with a drive to reach new heights. Thus, it has built a culture of flexibility and accountability over the years. 

14. Spotify – Scaling culture without losing spark 

Spotify, the music streaming giant, wasn’t built overnight. It started in 2006 in Stockholm, Sweden, when Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon decided to take on the piracy problem in the music industry. By 2018, it went public, and today, it dominates the music streaming industry with its unique technology and personalization.  

But behind the scenes, it’s also a company that cracked the code on scaling culture without losing its spark. As Spotify expanded, it faced a challenge: How do you keep the same energy and innovation that made you successful in the first place? 

Spotify implemented an Agile Squad Model to maintain a culture of speed, flexibility, and collaboration. Instead of strict hierarchies, Spotify built small, autonomous teams called ‘squads.’ Each squad operates like a mini-startup with its own mission, decision-making power, and cross-functional members. These squads are grouped into ‘tribes’ for alignment, while ‘chapters’ and ‘guilds’ allow for knowledge-sharing across teams. 

But Spotify didn’t just create this model and call it a day. They continuously tweak, refine, and evolve their ways of working. They embrace feedback loops and experimentation, allowing teams to fail fast and learn faster. Their philosophy: 

Set a clear mission, then trust your people to figure out the best way to get there. 

15. Slack – Success through people-first values 

Slack’s journey from a failed gaming project, Glitch, to one of the world’s largest leading workplace communication tools is deeply rooted in its people-first culture. Slack’s transformation into a product was driven by the lessons learned from its initial failure. Founder Stewart Butterfield realized that building a successful company was more about the people behind it than the product itself.  

One of Slack’s key values, especially in the early days, was curiosity. As the company grew empathy became the cornerstone of Slack’s culture. This was also about the product itself since Slack is designed to cater to different communication styles, helping people connect in a way that works for them. Empathy is also reflected in Slack’s approach to hiring, where they intentionally seek diversity. It partnered with Hackbright, a women’s coding camp, and The Last Mile, a program for incarcerated people, to attract a broader range of applicants.  

As Butterfield himself said: 

“It’s very difficult to design something for someone if you have no empathy.” 

By prioritizing people-first values, Slack has achieved incredible success, with 12 million daily users and a reported $401 million in revenue in 2019.  

16. Patagonia – Redefining work with a mission 

The outdoor retailer Patagonia is known for its iconic fleeces, backpacks, and Baggies, but its most defining product may be its irreverent, mission-driven culture. From an employee handbook titled Let My People Go Surfing to advertisements that say, Don’t Buy This Jacket, Patagonia defies conventional business norms. 

Patagonia recruiters start at the bottom, looking for hobbies, volunteer work, and outdoor interests. This approach helps them assess how candidates align with the company’s mission. 

“We’re not looking for culture fit, we’re looking for culture add.” – Dean Carter 

The company’s Let My People Go Surfing philosophy allows employees to take time off when surf conditions are ideal. This policy has resulted in an annual turnover rate of just 4%—far below the national average. Additionally, Patagonia has implemented a 9/80 work schedule, giving employees every other Friday off. Patagonia employees are given up to two months of paid leave to work with environmental organizations. Around 150 employees take advantage of this opportunity annually, contributing to projects worldwide.  

Since 1983, Patagonia has offered on-site childcare, an unusual benefit even among progressive employers. The company’s childcare centers feature bilingual programs and trained educators, ensuring high-quality early childhood education. This investment pays off: nearly 100% of new mothers return to work in Patagonia.  

Patagonia continues to challenge traditional business models while proving that purpose-driven companies can thrive. 

17. Pixar – Where people fuel imagination  

Pixar’s culture is defined by principles that emphasize collective creativity and the value of the team over individual brilliance. Their goal is to make great films with great people. Their key principles include the belief that: 

• Failure is part of the creative process  
• Quality is the best business plan  
• People matter more than ideas  

Pixar built an atmosphere where all ideas are valued, and employees are encouraged to share unfinished work for constructive feedback.  

“The view that good ideas are rarer and more valuable than good people is rooted in a misconception of creativity” – Ed Catmull  

This openness helps avoid perfectionism and promote creative risk-taking. Their Braintrust meetings, where peers provide honest, constructive critiques, and Pixar University, which encourages continuous learning and experimentation, are crucial to nurturing creativity.  

Additionally, Pixar’s leadership prioritizes empowering small teams to execute ideas within creative and budgetary constraints, allowing for both innovation and commercial success. The company avoids micromanaging and supports its directors to make creative decisions while Braintrust offers feedback without overriding their authority.  

18. Salesforce – Working with a connected purpose 

Salesforce has built a reputation as one of the best places to work, consistently landing on Fortune and Great Place to Work’s top lists. “Ohana means family.” Borrowing from Hawaiian culture, Salesforce has long championed the idea that employees, customers, and communities are all interconnected.  

Salesforce’s commitment to employee well-being was show through actions. CEO Marc Benioff led initiatives like gender pay equality, allocating over $8 million to correct disparities. The company’s 1-1-1 philanthropic model – donating 1% of its equity, product, and employees’ time – had led to over $240 million in grants and millions of volunteer hours. 

Salesforce has disrupted workplace norms by prioritizing well-being as a performance driver. Even post-pandemic, it continues to lead in flexible work models, allowing employees to shape their work around their lives, not the other way around. 

This employee-first approach was good for the business as well, with Salesforce’s revenue tripling from $4.1 billion in 2014 to $13.28 billion in 2019.  

19. Flipkart – Building leaders, beyond boundaries 

From its inception, Flipkart created an environment where innovation is encouraged, employees take ownership, and talent is nurtured. While many companies struggle with attrition, Flipkart has turned it into a unique strength, shaping a workforce that not only drives its success but also fuels India’s start-up ecosystem. 

The company has cultivated a work environment where employees are empowered to think like entrepreneurs, take risks, and contribute meaningfully. Former Flipsters have gone on to establish industry leaders like PhonePe, Groww, and Udaan—proof that Flipkart’s culture extends far beyond its walls. 

It’s no surprise that Flipkart consistently ranks among India’s top employers. Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Company and certified as a Great Place to Work, Flipkart’s reputation for prioritizing employee experience is well-earned. 

From progressive parental leave policies to career breaks that encourage personal pursuits, Flipkart goes beyond conventional HR practices to create a workplace where people thrive. Its flat hierarchy ensures that an intern can have a conversation with a VP as seamlessly as with a peer. 

As the company continues to evolve, its greatest strength remains unchanged: a people-first approach that extends beyond its own boundaries 

20. Zoom – Innovating with human connection  

Zoom Video Communications, synonymous with virtual meetings, has not only transformed global communication but also set a high standard for workplace culture. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in San Jose, California, Zoom has grown into a tech powerhouse with over 8,000 employees as of 2024. 

DEI is a cornerstone of Zoom’s organizational culture. The company’s DEI framework focuses on four key areas: Workforce, Workplace, Marketplace, and Community. Employee feedback reflects positively on these initiatives, with diverse employees rating the company highly for inclusivity, placing it among the top workplaces for diversity in its category. Despite a restructuring of its DEI team in early 2024, Zoom reaffirmed its commitment to diversity by partnering with external DEI firms to enhance its inclusive initiatives. 

In 2023, the company introduced a hybrid work model, requiring employees within 50 miles of an office to work in person at least twice a week. This shift was driven by the belief that in-office collaboration fosters innovation and strengthens relationships. To support this transition, Zoom launched new workplace solutions, including AI-powered meeting tools and modernized office spaces. The company’s “Engagement Hubs” feature collaborative work areas, bookable hot desks, and immersive technology. 

A great culture doesn’t just happen! 

Creating a positive work culture isn’t about chasing trends or throwing perks at employees. A true workplace culture isn’t built on free snacks and motivational posters—it’s built on trust, investment, and a work environment where people actually want to be. 

If your culture feels off, it probably is. You can fix it, but not with guesswork. It takes structure, intention, and the right strategies. Ready to break the cycle and build a culture that works? Learn how here.