People are looking for stability and reassurance as the world emerges from a pandemic - only to be thrown into an impending cost-of-living crisis. The need for clarity has partly been caused by the complete reimaging of what it means to ‘work’.
The in-person, 9-5 office job was the agreed status quo for decades. Yet, this has been completely turned on its head in recent years. It’s now hard to imagine a time when flexible or remote working wasn’t the norm. As people redefine what a job looks like, workplace culture has become a cornerstone of their decision-making.
To help us all understand what culture is, why it’s important and how to build a better workplace – we’re launching The Culture Series. We’ll take you under the skin of 3S Money, exploring what culture means to us as told through our global team's lived experiences.
Where better to start than at the beginning? In the first of the series, our Talent Partner, Robyn Lewin, shares her insights on what culture means at 3S Money.
What is workplace culture?
This is the question I start every People Team interview with. It’s purposefully open-ended, as it’s important to understand everyone is on the same page. Why? Because the heart of our culture is clear communication. Unsurprisingly, the answers are as varied as the culture itself.
To me, company culture is an organisation's collective mindset and key values, a north star that everyone can use to navigate the choppy seas of working in a Fintech scale-up.
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 are 3S Money’s values?
Conquer the unknown
We embrace change and allow you to do things that have never been done before. We’re pushing into new markets and exploring innovative solutions to empower our staff and clients. In my interviews, I frequently say: “We know what we know very well - we even know the limits of what we don’t know. But there are still so many unknowns - all we can do is map that terrain out one hire at a time!”
Be inquisitive
Curiosity is where we started and remains the fuel that drives us forward. It allows us to ask questions of ourselves and each other.
We own it
At 3S Money, you have an opportunity to disrupt the payments industry positively. We treat the company as if it were our own, with all the accountability, care, and passion that comes with it.
Growth first
We’re investing in the future leaders of Fintech. We want you to grow with us in a way that suits your ambitions. We’ve recently had two fantastic additions to the People team in Learning & Development (L&D) - who are constantly striving to push our individual and collective knowledge in the company. Deloitte reported that organisations with a strong learning culture have 30-50% higher engagement and retention rates. Every day is a school day at 3S Money!
Celebrate difference
Entering a work environment where you’re celebrated for being yourself should be a given, right? Our culture is one of collaboration over competition, and inclusivity is not just a right – it’s a priority.
What’s the culture like at 3S Money?
Outside of our values, we prioritise communication, collaboration, and empathy across our 5 (and growing!) global locations. Whether you’re locked into your current projects, day-to-day management, or working with the L&D team to up-skill yourself for the future, the sense of passion in 3S Money is palpable!
It's this passion that drives our technology teams to build innovative features. Their commitment to excellence helps our Sales teams sell solutions for today’s problems. This problem-solving enthusiasm fuels our Client Managers to develop meaningful relationships with global entrepreneurs. All these teams working together help foster a supportive, cohesive, and goal-orientated collective.
When you’re plugged into a global feeling of passion, empathy, and collaboration, it’s hard not to have fun. We firmly believe that to create a lasting, memorable global company culture - you must prioritise kindness and build relationships based on respect.
Company culture vs office culture
So far, we’ve unpacked examples of company-wide, values-led culture, but we have five offices in very different locations - each with a unique 3S Money flavour.
Our Riga office, for example, has a different environment than our London HQ. This comes from many of our colleagues being parents. With a more relaxed, family feel, there’s less emphasis on after-work socials and more on team building during working hours.
In their skyscraper DIFC office, our Dubai colleagues embrace a slicker and more ‘corporate’ feel influenced by their cultural surroundings. This is a feeling shared by our team in Luxembourg, who have the best of both cultural worlds – youthful energy and high-end finance.
Our team in Amsterdam is still in the process of developing its culture. Now with a permanent office to call their own, their team is growing quickly, and we’re excited to share the experience with them.
As we expand globally, the 3S Money team must consider what kind of workplace culture we want to create. Maintaining a unique sense of local identity whilst embodying a ‘universal’ set of values is a complex yet worthwhile challenge.
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.