18 April 2023 3 minute read

People power: Building a cultural mindset at 3S Money

Talent Partner Will Elder takes under the hood of how we build culture at 3S Money and explore how it’s led to the company's success.
People power: building a cultural mindset at 3S Money

Building a strong workplace culture and business values

Today's businesses are constantly evolving and adapting to the changing landscape. One of the critical factors that can make or break a company's success is its culture. A company's culture plays a significant role in shaping its identity, values, and operations.

In the latest blog of our Culture Series, we’ll explore what culture means to 3S Money and how our people-led approach defines our internal operations, client relationships, and place within the Fintech community.

Take it away, Will!

What makes a company unique?

Simple, it's people.

People represent the personality and culture of a business. It’s an identity, and every company has its own. Because of this, culture is subjective and starts its evolution right from day one, making it vital to have it clearly defined to drive the business's future success.

Doing so establishes and lays the best foundations for the standards we set ourselves, conduct ourselves, and get the work done together. And that’s the easy part! Effectively executing your vision based on core values, key behaviours, and standards for EVERYONE day-in-day-out is the real test!

Robert Walters’ research into the importance of culture at work, discovered that 73% of people leave their jobs due to a poor culture fit. This is precisely why we must ensure we get it right from day one.

Why is workplace culture important?

A working environment that doesn’t positively influence personal and professional life can cause high staff turnover. HR Directors across the globe echo the sentiment that employees will vote with their feet if companies don’t reflect a culture that resonates with them.

What do we stand for at 3S?

All of us at 3S Money have a common goal we strive for, which all started from the very reason why 3S Money exists in the first place – to make the world a fairer financial place, one step at a time.

We’re here to support businesses and entrepreneurs with similar ambitions to 3S – those that seize new opportunities and realise their dreams. However, as well as anyone, we know it’s sadly not that simple, but we want to change that.
 
A quick reminder of our values at 3S Money are:
  • Conquer The Unknown
  • Be Inquisitive
  • We Own It
  • Growth First
  • Celebrate Difference
We’re a curious bunch with big ambitions. We want to grow; we want to explore; we want to learn; we want to be the best we can be and have fun along the journey.

Why it’s important to hire with culture in mind

When hiring a new addition to the 3S team, we base our recruitment on a ‘value-led’ approach. Here are a few examples of questions we constantly ask ourselves:
  • Will this person add value to our team? 
  • Are they passionate about their work? 
  • Are they able to take ownership and accountability for their role? 
  • Have they demonstrated a proactive approach to their work? 
  • Do they want to better themselves and their teammates?
We offer a product and service for customers worldwide, so it needs to be built and developed by people worldwide. As a part of the talent and people community at 3S, it’s imperative for us (especially as a scale-up) to invite people on board who share similar values and ambitions and bring something new to the table. 
 
To improve as a business, we need to (and do) empower each other. As individuals, we need to feel comfortable and confident trying new things, experimenting, and this development process typically comes from employee-led ideas and initiatives. Believe it or not, we listen to people’s different points of view and give their ideas a chance (within reason, of course). We’re not here to hold people back - we want everyone to flourish.

As a talent function, how can we give outsiders an insider’s view of our culture?

We are always asked by prospective candidates, “What is the culture like at 3S?”. Culture is an intangible asset; it’s a feeling. The only way to answer this question is to reflect on my personal experiences.

We’re all adults, and we hire people for a reason - because we believe in them. We don’t believe in ‘micro-management’. We’ve been successful over the years by allowing everyone to take accountability in their role and giving them the freedom to make great things happen and support them on that journey. We’re not sitting here knowing we have everything planned, making it exciting, building and curating something, one piece at a time.

If we’re not developing a culture that encourages change, how will we ever evolve and innovate for the future.

Who is promoting our culture and values at 3S Money?

We all are!

Culture doesn’t just happen overnight. It’s an ever-changing process in which we all have a role. One person does not just create it - we all have a voice, and listening to those voices is essential for future cultural development.

So, what’s next for 3S Money’s culture?

I think it’s fair to say we’ve experienced some big successes over the last couple of years as a team, and culture has certainly played its part. We’ve grown from a small band in London to expanding across 5 locations (and growing) worldwide. We know each office has its own ways of doing things, but we will always remain true to our core values.

We will continue to embrace each other and do our utmost to make sure anyone joining us will feel like they belong and be their true self.

Be curious, be creative, and be brave.

Join us on our journey

Workplace culture isn’t built in a day, and there’s always room for improvement. We invite you to join us to share our story and showcase life at 3S Money. Keep an eye on our blog and social media channels for the latest updates.

 

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