Growens’ values and behaviors

How important is a value system in defining corporate strategies? How can we transform abstract concepts – such as, in our case, Passion, Caring, Trust and Open-Mindedness – into   driving behaviors for both the individual and the organization? 

In Growens’ case, the solution lies in a daily application of  a set of core ethical principles by the people of the Group and by the Company itself. It is easy to recognise Growens’ values in the way its employees relate to each other. 

In Growens everything revolves around four basic values: from the choice to work flexibly  to a specific leadership style, from a collaborative feedback culture to the inclusion of value-related evaluations within the growth paths of employees. Values are also brought to life through the daily initiatives of the Value Team.

But how was the Growens value set born?

Towards the creation of a corporate culture 

In 2018, on the wave of a constant growth path, the Group defined a common and shared Cultural Identity for all its Business Units.

The entire process was based on a bottom-up approach: employees of all Business Units were actively involved in workshops and laboratories organized by the People & Culture Team.

The aim of such meetings was to work in a collaborative and creative way, to bring out the most significant and shared traits of the corporate culture. During these meetings we synthesized and formalized those traits into four values ​​and sixteen behaviors.

After many workshops, the following  four values were selected:

From values ​​to behaviors 

The presence of values ​​is not enough for defining a corporate culture. Taken individually, values ​​are just abstract concepts and in order to understand whether they are actually implemented, it is necessary to identify behaviors linked to them, which are observable and therefore measurable.

Growens’ next step was precisely this: outlining a series of behaviors to be applied in every area of the ​​working life.

At the end of the selection, the following behaviors were identified.

Trust

• I choose to trust my colleagues
• I’m comfortable delegating my work
• I’m confident in expressing doubt or disagreement
• I’m trustworthy because I’m accountable

Caring

• I recognize and value my colleagues’ contribution
• I listen to and give feedback
• I share my expertise for the benefit of my team’s growth
• I care about our customers, environment and stakeholders

Passion

• I go the extra mile
• I work with enthusiasm and share it
• I enjoy what I do
• I’m proud of my company & my work

Open-Mindedness

• I embrace change
• I value other people’s point of view
• I’m open to recognize and learn from my mistakes
• I love to learn and keep up-to-date

360° Feedback

For the Group it is essential that everyone embodies the values ​​and respects the behaviors listed above. To verify that these rules are actually respected, Growens relies on a constant and transparent 360° Feedback system, which is a fundamental part of the Group’s Total Rewards Program.

This program was created for the first time in 2019 by the People & Culture team, with the aim of creating an environment that promoted merit, well-being and development of people, in line with  the corporate values.

In addition, the Total Reward program, for the part linked to  the people development, provides for an annual evaluation, in which three dimensions are assessed:

• Performance, in terms of quantitative objectives on the results obtained
• Development, in terms of qualitative objectives on improved or learned skills
• Compliance with core values ​​and the related behavioral system 

Respect for the corporate culture is therefore a fundamental requirement for growing within the company.

Values ​​in everyday life: the Value Team

In 2018, Growens established the first Value Team, a group consisting of seven people belonging to different Business Units, with the aim of developing and spreading a shared corporate culture.

Initially, this group was supposed to have a limited duration. Given the engagement level and the amount of value it created, it was decided to set a new one up every year.

Every year to fulfill its goal, the Value Team carries out new projects and activities that reflect the values ​​and behaviors of the Group, creating moments of aggregation among employees and spreading the values ​​themselves.

The strong points that characterize the Value Team and that allow to create a high level of engagement are:

• Brilliant people
• Good mix of skills
• Different cultures and points of view
• Different experiences
• International team
• Open Mindedness

Wrap Up 

Defining the mission, the vision and values ​​is a fundamental step for creating a successful corporate culture. This allows to create a better workplace, where people feel comfortable and have the freedom and empowerment to give their best.

Growens recognizes this importance, also understanding how the creation of a corporate culture is not a static process, but one that is constantly changing, for which constant commitment is required.

 

Article by Elisa Battigelli
Junior Corporate Communications Specialist, Growens