Let's be honest. Oldenburg is not Hollywood. EWE is not a start-up. We are down-to-earth. We don't make a big fuss. Security, reliability and regionality are just part of our DNA.
We are technicians and engineers who find clever solutions. We are IT specialists and business people who, in the morning, focus on the day. We are people who are constantly developing ourselves and the company.
We learn something new every day. We're on a first-name basis. With us, you can take initiative. We're on our way.
We make our own culture. Every day.
To us, culture is not academic. Culture is the way we do things here that are important to us, and how we work together – it's like our autopilot. Our culture has existed since EWE was founded. It doesn't look the same today as it did at first, or even five years ago. Since 2012, we've been learning to shape our culture more consciously and to reset our autopilot.
Cultural development is complex, exciting, exhausting, inspiring, challenging, surprising, colourful, and simply an exciting journey that can't be forced.
Culture concerns us all. That's why we don't do cultural transformation "from above". We don't say that everyone has to become this or that. What we want is for our culture to fit us and our tasks, so it feels like a tailwind in everyday life. That's why we shape it ourselves.
By doing things differently and trying out new approaches to work. By understanding what's important to us individually and as a team, and by thinking about what will help us move forward. By spreading good ideas and good behaviour. We simply call it culture change in everyday life.
There are three things you'll definitely find with us:
And you'll find great opportunities, allies, and other enthusiasts who will work with you to shape this cultural change.
There are many ways people consciously shape culture in our company. And new initiatives, offers and communities are constantly emerging.
Three examples will give you an idea of how cultural change works in practice with us.
There are many ways to describe and define culture. The great thing: all perspectives are right! They are glasses that we can put on to better see this complex, ever-changing thing called culture. Five perspectives in particular have helped us develop.
Culture is what we do automatically. Because we have always done it that way. Why? No idea. It's just how we do it here. These habits have formed over the course of many years, even decades. And we all know how challenging it can be to change habits. But it can be done! And once we have developed new, effective, useful habits, time works in our favour.
Evolution explains more than just biological development on our planet. It also helps us understand how cultures develop. What's important is that this happens all by itself. Small aspects of the way we do business are constantly changing. We can shape these variations intentionally, though this unfortunately doesn't guarantee that they will be successful.
For that to happen, we need two additional things. We need an idea about how our culture should look. What core do we want to develop our culture around, in the team, in the department, in our company? Once we're clear on that, we can choose the elements that fit this core from the many possibilities. Selection is the evolutionary concept underlying this process. And thirdly, we must then replicate these chosen elements. Over and over. And over. Evolution calls this "reproduction". In everyday life, it's called "imitation". Until a new variation fits our core better and the fun starts all over again.
Culture isn't soft. It's not a luxury. Successful businesses require efficiency, change, security in uncertain times, and strong implementation skills. The key to this? It's in the culture. Implementation? It only succeeds if people are proactive. Without initiative and courage? Not a chance. Efficiency? Only if we work seamlessly together. Which only happens with trust and cooperation. Changes? They only occur if people develop too, which means they won't happen without inspiration and learning. And we can only feel secure if we look out for each other and if we have a sense of purpose that connects us. Culture is what makes the difference. People make the organisation. We shape our culture.
Culture reflects our convictions. Change the stories that we all believe in and you change the culture. How can you quickly and easily determine what the true vision, the true core of the culture is? It's simple: listen to the conversations that take place in hallways, offices, and break rooms. Language creates reality. Of course, it's not enough to just talk about things. What's also needed is action. Together, they're powerful – when thinking, speaking, and acting mesh; when we embody what we say. This isn't so easy in daily life. But it pays to understand, internalise, and embody cultural development.
Culture spreads through networks. Strong, direct relationships are especially needed. We change when our friends, partners and office colleagues join in or support us. It's very hard for us to do something different, or to stand up for something new, if our environment doesn't follow or expresses disapproval. We continually create spaces where people can learn together, develop initiatives, recharge, and network. Within and outside of our companies. We learn from processes of cultural change at companies such as Dräger, OTTO, Siemens Health, Allianz, Saint Gobain, rms, Lanxess, Bosch, Telekom, the Hamburg Department of Home Affairs, and many more!
