Background 

As a rapidly expanding company with headcount increasing by 70% and a turnover doubling in five years, CAE Technology Services Ltd (CAE) knew it must prioritise its culture in order to prevent its dilution or loss. Recognising it needed to invest more in articulating, promoting and celebrating its culture-driven purpose, CAE developed a ‘Culture First’ approach, making culture the first thought to guide actions and to put everything into context. This approach emphasises people, collaboration, wellbeing, communication and constant evolution, with the key principle being the power of an authentic, purpose-driven culture.

Approach 

To uphold its culture, CAE has initiated extensive measures across various organisational spectra. The firm set up technology-enabled collaborative workspaces, fostered employee wellbeing through flexible working hours, gym contracts and access to wellbeing apps, and instituted a ‘future of leadership programme in collaboration with Franklin Covey to develop leadership skills at all levels of the organisation.

It has revamped its learning and development to emphasise personal ambition aligned with company aspirations and released an annual Culture Book to encapsulate the culture-first approach. The company uses language strategically to reflect its values. For example, the term ‘buffalo’ to describe its approach to managing business priorities and ‘making it purple’ to signify its distinctive CAE touch in core messaging. Conversely, it avoids using terms like ‘collective’ and ‘fluffy’ when referring to decision-making or culture, as they are seen as counterproductive.

CAE has also added mid-year momentum meetings for celebrations of the culture and people’s successes and, based on feedback from its people, introduced a new value: Advocate Belonging. Central to CAE’s approach is that everyone should contribute to innovation, so it encourages everyone to share their ‘if only’ moments and has established CAE Labs with a dedicated strategy and innovation team, comprising individuals from across the organisation to ensure innovation is supported at all levels of the company, including the board. All these changes personify CAE’s commitment to continuous improvement propelled by feedback and the experiences of its people.

Outcome

This investment in culture has positively transformed CAE, as evidenced by its achievements in various areas. In the past year the company has supported the development of 59 leaders, facilitated internal promotions and reinvigorated its approach to company-wider surveys to better communicate and shared a dedication to operational excellence.

CAE has maintained its 3* Best Companies status with an impressive globally-unmatched engagement rate of 80%. Its culture-first approach has led to meaningful recognition with awards like the Cisco Customer Satisfaction Excellence and The Sunday Times FastTrack 100. As the company says, its strategy demonstrates that culture is not a top-down programme but a living, breathing force that permeates all its endeavours. Every individual plays a crucial role in building and developing a successful culture.