How Can You Build a Corporate Culture That Attracts the Best Talent in the Market?

We’re in 2025, and candidates don’t choose a company just because it offers competitive salaries, that’s still a prerequisite, of course! but it’s no longer the only thing they care about. There’s a lot more that goes into the corporate culture they’re walking into.
But why does corporate culture matter so much to top candidates? And the big question, how do you actually build a culture that makes great people want to join (and stick around)? These are questions a lot of people are asking, and we’re here to answer them 👌🏻
But wait, maybe we should start with the basics: what corporate culture is anyway?
So grab your favorite snack or top up coffee 😆 and let’s get started!
What is Corporate Culture?
Corporate culture is pretty much what it sounds like, it refers to the values, behaviors, and everyday habits that determine how people interact with each other inside a company beyond the job descriptions.
When we talk about values and behaviors we mean trust between teams and managers, a decent work-life balance, chances to grow, fair benefits…. We could go on, but you get it.
But this is not the full picture, because corporate culture can also show up in more visible ways like the workplace environment, the dress code, internal processes, and how the company is structured.
And despite what some might think, a healthy corporate culture isn’t about beanbags and pizza Fridays, it goes way beyond that, it’s about building a place where people actually want to be and do great work, even when no one is watching.
Building the right culture takes more than good intentions, according to Draven McConville, a seasoned entrepreneur and investor. “It requires systems that support transparent communication, track professional development, and recognize achievements consistently. Many companies struggle to maintain these cultural elements as they scale because they lack the operational backbone to keep everyone aligned and engaged.”
Why Are Top Talent Considering Corporate Culture?
Corporate culture has become a top priority for top talent when choosing where to work. But how did we get here? Who would’ve thought this would become the new normal?
Well, it’s actually pretty simple, skilled professionals have options, lots of them, so it makes sense that they’re not just chasing a paycheck, they want to work somewhere they’re respected, supported, and seen for what they bring to the table.
But this isn’t really the full story, here are a few more reasons why a strong work culture matters to top talents 👇
A top destination
When your company is known for having a healthy workplace culture, you naturally become a team people are excited to be part of, because what top talents want is an environment where they can learn, grow and still have a life outside of work.
Instant results
When a new hire instantly clicks with their colleagues and shares the company’s values, they’re way more likely to crush it at work, and that’s exactly what a positive culture brings: Knowledge-sharing, teamwork and smart risk-taking, all of which pushes the boundaries of new talents and helps them have impact on the company from day one.
Career growth
Do you know what every talent wants? Growth opportunities, of course! And if your company culture encourages honest feedback, supports high-potential people, and gives them the freedom to take on challenges and climb the corporate ladder, you’ve checked every box on the talent checklist 👌🏻✅
Higher retention rates
A strong company culture helps reduce preventable turnover, because after all, no one wants to stick around in an environment with micromanagement, poor communication, or a lack of trust. Get rid of that, and people are much more likely to stay.
4 Inspiring Corporate Culture Examples
Now that we have established what a corporate culture is and why it’s important for top talents, let’s get to know some real life examples of some top-tier companies.
Notion
To kick off our list of examples, we’ve got to talk about Notion, the productivity startup that’s practically part of pop culture at this point 😎 Known for its straightforward company culture. Notion’s mission is simple: “Always build for users”. They rely on the creativity of both their community and their team to keep setting the race in their space.
When it comes to workplace culture, they have it very clear: “Be kind while giving honest feedback.” and they also embrace the Greek concept of eudaemonia “finding fulfillment through hard work and continuous learning.”
Pretty inspiring right?
Active Campaign
Continuing with our examples of productivity software with standout culture, Active Campaign are also very invested in their corporate culture, and they always prioritize the work-life balance of their employees (health benefits, mental health resources, parental leave policies etc).
Not only that, AC has created a highly inclusive environment, featuring eight employee-led resource groups (ERGs). Better yet, they even offer comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training for their team.
And just like Notion, ActiveCampaign is community-focused, they have user forums, Facebook groups, and an active partner network. They chose to invest in user experience, documentation, and onboarding rather than pushy sales.
Google is another name that definitely deserves a spot on our list. The giant search engine is committed to the flexibility and well-being of its employees, so it goes without saying that it offers everything from wellness programs and generous parental leave to on-site services access.
But what really sets Google apart is innovation and autonomy. In fact, Google encourages its employees to push boundaries, take risks, and even spend time on passion projects 💡 (hello, Gmail, Google Maps, and Gemini).
And while Google operates on a much larger scale than Notion or ActiveCampaign, it still puts a lot of energy into community through open-source projects, developer forums, and tools built with user feedback in mind.
Atlassian
Saved the best for last, Atlassian, the Aussie software company that figured out the balance between being people-first and sticking to their famous rule 👉🏻 “don’t $@#$% the customer.”
Their culture is built around a few simple but powerful values: openness, teamwork, passion, and a willingness to face change, and they don’t just put them on their website to sound fancy, they actually use them to attract the right talent and filter out those who wouldn’t be a fit.
And we can safely say that Atlassian’s culture is clearly reflected in how they build their products, support their users, and treat one another.
And this brings us to our next question: How to build a corporate culture that culture that people want to be part of? Well, we’re here to show you!
How To Build a Corporate Culture That Attracts The Best Talents in the Market
Define your company mission
Well, whatever your strategy may be, it’s best to start with the basics. Begin by defining your mission and the values your company stands for, as soon as the right talents see something they connect with, they’ll actually want to be part of what you’re building.
But developing a mission statement that resonates with top talent is easier said than done. To do that, you need to be clear about your company’s mission and why it exists in the first place.
Remember also that you need to show the human side behind the culture. Communicate your values in your team meetings, job postings, website and even in your marketing campaigns.
Encourage professional development
You’ve heard it before, but we’ll say it again: “Regardless of your industry, your company will always need to face change.” And your best bet is to invest in your employees’ professional development.
The point of doing this is to build a culture of learning and growth, and as we mentioned above, top talents often prioritize career growth, so when you offer regular training programs, workshops, and mentorship opportunities, you naturally encourage knowledge-sharing across your teams.
The end result of all this? Clear career paths, better retention, and a stronger ability to attract A players in the market.
So don’t wait for development to “just happen.” because it won’t. Help your people earn certifications, take courses, and grow in their roles, it benefits them, and keeps your business competitive. 🤝
Recognize team accomplishments
While offering regular training and courses is a great start for building a strong company culture, you can take it a step further. Why not create achievement programs to recognize your team’s wins? It’s a fantastic way to keep your talents motivated and create a very healthy work environment.
In an ideal world, you can implement things like 👇
- Organizing an Employee of the Month reward (picking just one employee might be the hardest part 😅)
- Giving bonuses, incentives, or promotions when someone hits a major milestone
- Celebrating team wins with casual get-togethers or shoutouts on social media
- Sending personalized thank-you notes or Slack messages to recognize everyday progress
What’s the takeaway from all of this, you ask? People love feeling seen and appreciated, and when they do, they’re more likely to stay motivated and perform at their best.
Build a comfortable work environment
This one is a big piece of the puzzle that probably gets talked about less than it should “a comfortable work environment” No one does their best work in a space that feels cramped, too noisy, or uncomfortable (some people might perform in chaos, but they’re the exception, not the rule 😅)
If you’re serious about hiring, and retaining the best talents, then creating a workspace that people actually enjoy being in shouldn’t be an afterthought, it should be a priority 👌🏻
And no, it’s not just about comfy chairs and decent coffee, set up focus areas, breakout spaces, good lighting, ergonomic furniture, and don’t overlook the basics, like fast air conditioner repairs when things go wrong in the workplace.
Moral of the story, when people are physically and mentally comfortable, they’re more productive, more creative, and way more likely to stick around.
Encourage transparent communication
Open dialogue at work sounds great in theory, BUT, and here’s the big but, it’s usually not that simple. Most people hold back because they’re worried about backlash or being misunderstood.
So if you want to create a culture where people actually feel safe speaking up, start by building trust, that means regular team meetings, asking for feedback (and act on it), implementing an open-door policy, or simply using anonymous surveys or suggestion boxes.
Don’t get us wrong, we’re not here to sell fantasies or pretend that trust happens overnight, it takes time to build, but these practices above 👆 will definitely move you in the right direction.
Employee well-being first
Put simply, anything related to work style, number of working hours, work arrangements, mental health support is part of your company culture.
So ask yourself these questions 👇
Is your team free to choose how and where they work? Or is the setup more strict, with little room for breaks? That work-life balance (or lack of it) speaks volumes about how healthy and happy your workplace really is.
If your company leans more toward the strict side, you will definitely need to rethink a few things. A good starting point is by offering remote or hybrid work options whenever it makes sense.
You should also give your employees more flexibility with their vacation time and make sure they have access to mental health resources like wellness programs or monthly therapy sessions.
Set the tone as a leader
Company culture starts at the top, and if you’re in a leadership role, it’s on you to actually live the values you expect from everyone else.
The best way to do that?
You’ve got to lead with integrity and empathy, talk to your whole team, not just the higher-ups. Ask for their input, get involved in projects, and show that you value everyone’s opinion.
You can even take it the extra mile by setting clear expectations for managers to help maintain a positive workplace culture.
Time To Build
You should always remember that building a long lasting corporate culture isn’t some overnight success story, it’s a rollercoaster 🎢 where you’ll make mistakes along the way and we mean a lot of them.
But now that you’ve got our top seven strategies and a clear plan to bring your company’s values to life, top talent will have every reason to be motivated and excited to hit your goals. We’d love to hear which ones you put into action! 😉
We’ve covered a bunch of other topics around workplace culture on the blog that are worth checking out. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts or share our articles on your social media, we always love engaging with our readers! 😊
That’s all for now! Thanks for reading till the end! Thank you for sticking around till the end!