Perks vs Culture. What wins?

A simple question; would you rather work in your normal, run off the mill office, with fantastic people that you can joke around with whilst getting shit done?

Or would you take the sleeping pods, slide, ping-pong table and unlimited snacks with a bunch of people you can’t stand?

Now, of course, I’m hearing you say: “pfffft – what? Just find a company with both!”.

Well, the reality is; it’s a subjective question and you can’t please everyone. Getting the balance right is very difficult, particularly with multi-skilled, diverse teams. E.g., the same perks for Engineers might not appeal to your Sales team.

People are definitely wising up to the perks bonanza companies throw at them and the majority of companies provide similar perks. But as this continues, it’s almost impossible to separate two companies on perks alone, so ultimately it’s culture that is your game changer.

Culture is a whole topic in itself (more to come on culture in a later blog), and every company is adamant they have a great culture. But what does that actually mean?

When starting a business, early hires will define what culture you have. You should always have a set of principles and values you operate by, and be proud to live by them. As companies compete in a perpetual arms race to attract and retain talent, it’s vital they put themselves in the strongest position possible and remain true to their values.

Too much emphasis can be placed on glitz and tertiary perks which, although nice, don’t really add value to your staff. Having a framework which is flexible and appealing to different personality types, let’s people express themselves, do their best work, and feel valued is where you can set yourselves apart.

More in our next Black Nova Blog, as we discuss culture in more detail..

And to answer my own question, I’d pick culture every time. How about you?