DLF’s global growth and expansion in the past 10-15 years have brought in numerous new companies and colleagues, providing us with valuable access to new markets, products, knowledge, and technologies.
However, the true significance of this growth lies in fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and a sense of community among all members. To achieve this, a joint global company culture is fundamental.
A key element of DLF’s company culture is its set of four global values, which were collectively developed in 2021, involving the entire organization. The process aimed to encourage collaboration and connection within the company. Virtual meetings brought together 100 leaders from various parts of the organization to discuss existing local values and company cultures. Despite the diverse geographical and organizational backgrounds, they found common ground in what truly matters to the organization.
The next step involved seeking input from the full organization through the annual employee survey in 2021, where all employees were asked to prioritize from a list of seven suggested global values.
Once again, the results showed striking similarities in priorities across all geographical and organizational boundaries. As a result of this engaging process, we established our four global values:
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- Global Synergies
- Environmental sustainability
- Empowerment
These values serve as guiding stars for our business and organizational development, reflecting the company’s identity, priorities, and expectations of each other and stakeholders. Since their introduction in 2021, these values have become integrated in the company’s DNA and shared language.
Internally, these values are actively applied in strategy and planning processes, project initiations, and the development of organizations, teams, and individuals. Externally, they are used in communication with stakeholders, customers, and potential employees.
Nonetheless, the journey of working with values is ongoing. In DLF, we still have many opportunities to activate these values, but they have already become a key cornerstone in fostering a unified global company culture.
In conclusion, DLF’s global growth and expansion have been immensely beneficial, but it is the establishment of a joint company culture that truly brings out the best in the organization. The four global values serve as the guiding principles, influencing the organization’s actions, decisions, and interactions both internally and externally. By embracing these values, DLF continues to evolve as a cohesive and thriving entity in the global marketplace.
