In today's dynamic work environment, where remote, hybrid, and in-office setups co-exist, scaling and maintaining a strong company culture is more challenging than ever. High performance companies know that a thriving culture is not just a nice-to-have; it's a strategic imperative.

Recently, we gathered the people leaders from our portfolio for a lunch and learn session, featuring Dave Carhart, a fractional Chief People Officer and strategist. The discussion highlighted practical insights for scaling companies:

1. Informal Structures: Culture is not about what is written in the handbook but about the lived experience within the company and how people interact with each other on a daily basis.
2. Accountability and Connection:  A healthy culture should also drive business outcomes. The deepest connections are built through vulnerability, trust, and mutual accountability for results.
3. Inclusive Leadership: Involving all leaders in shaping the culture and setting clear expectations about leadership roles is critical. While founders establish the "DNA" of the culture at launch, as the company grows a much larger set of leaders have meaningful impact on employee engagement and experience.
4. Hiring from Within: Internal growth and promotions are a key source of talent and replicating culture. But choose wisely — these choices send a powerful messageabout what behaviors leaders value.
5. Hierarchy and Growth: Companies need to balance topdown structures with thosethat are flat, open and collaborative. Creating a skills matrix and promotingtransparency about your approach to leveling and titles can help (in fact, some Galvanize portfolio companies don't use formalized titles!).
6. AI Integration: Using AI for training, role-playing, and drafting competencies can improve efficiency and impact. People leaders should expect their HR tech stack to effectively integrate AI capabilities while embracing personal experimentation with AI tools.
7. Psychological Safety and Community: Fostering psychological safety and community for all employees is essential, but nuances for different demographics should be taken into account. For example, recent graduates (who could be working remotely for the first time), may need particular support in how to effectively ask for help from mid-level or senior employees.

We also examined different approaches that companies in Galvanize's portfolio have enacted. Here are some real-life examples of culture building strategies through which our portfolio companies have found success:

1. Hybrid Team Activities: Organizing activities like playing video games in the office or virtually on Fridays, open lunch hours with executives, hosting town halls, etc.,all can foster relationships and inclusivity among virtual and in-office employees.
2. Volunteering and Engagement: With relatively little to no budget, employees in remote hubs are encouraged to volunteer together during a workday, fostering bonding and promoting community involvement and mission orientation.
3. Ice Breakers: Using ice breaker questions with new employees that get sent across the organization like "tell us something shocking about yourself" or "two truths and a lie" can help new employees integrate.
4. Customer Connections: Highlighting how employees contribute to the mission through customer interviews and mission-related events strengthen their connection to the company.
5. Leadership Training: Engaging leaders in content creation encourages buy-in and commitment to the training program, in addition to forgoing the costs associated with hiring a 3rd party vendor.
6. Tackling Generational Diversity: Active slack channels for employee groups by generation (e.g. gen z) for one company to celebrate generational diversity and a way for employees to understand each other better.

The practical strategies implemented by our portfolio leaders, from leveraging informal structures to integrating AI, are turning cultural challenges into strengths. As Dave shared, "a strong culture isn't just created once — it's built daily, with continuous innovation and a willingness to question assumptions." The entire company, not just HR, needs to take ownership of the culture, but a strategic people function is a critical enabler.