A culture that encourages individuals to step out of their comfort zones will explore new possibilities. When calculated risks are embraced, employees feel empowered to push boundaries and think outside the box, leading to groundbreaking innovations.
In this article, we explore inspiring examples of startup cultures around Southeast Asia:
Grab: Encouraging Collaboration and Transparency
One notable example of a successful startup culture is Grab, a ride-hailing and food delivery platform that originated in Malaysia. Grab's commitment to fostering collaboration and transparency has played a significant role in their growth. By promoting an open-door policy and facilitating cross-functional communication, Grab encourages employees to freely share ideas and insights. This approach has not only resulted in innovative solutions but has also instilled a sense of camaraderie among team members.
Gojek: Embracing Continuous Learning
Another compelling example of a growth-oriented startup culture is Gojek, an Indonesian super app company. Gojek's emphasis on continuous learning has allowed them to stay ahead of the curve in the fiercely competitive tech industry. They provide their employees with ample opportunities for professional development, including access to internal workshops, mentorship programs, and external learning resources. By investing in the growth of their employees, Gojek has created a culture that encourages individuals to push boundaries and constantly evolve.
Mekari: Creating an open environment
Another startup that exemplifies a caring approach to how they do work is Mekari, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company based in Indonesia. Mekari recognizes that happy and fulfilled employees are more likely to contribute their best work. Diana (Head of Customer Experience) emphasizes on creating an open environment starting with listening. It is important that regardless of how small these wins may seem, they need to be reminded that these all add up to the future they’re working towards.
Tokopedia: Embrace Failure as a Learning Opportunity
Shift the perspective on failure within your organization. Build a safe space and encourage employees to view failures as valuable learning experiences rather than setbacks.
"I think it's important that we have a very safe space to experiment because you don't have too much experience leading 20 or even 40 people," Victor (VP of Data) said. "People [need to] understand that it's a learning process for us and as well as you guys.”
We can foster an atmosphere that promotes innovation and employee well-being by taking inspiration from successful examples such as Grab, Gojek, Mekari, and Tokopedia.
What steps will you take to infuse a dynamic and caring startup culture within your organization? Join the conversation through our SEA HR Community Slack channel.
Read more about Victor, Diana, and other startup stories here.
