Published on August 9th, 2018 | by Sunit Nandi

How to Create a Tech Start-Up Culture in a Traditional Company

The tech industry is equatable to an explosion within the market, and industry in general. The level of technology that is available today used to be the subject of science fiction, with mobile devices that can connect you to information from all around the world, to wearable tech like smart watches. The massive effect that the tech industry has had is not limited to just individuals, however. Whole businesses, and even fields of business, are now being effected. Old companies are becoming obsolete or inefficient in their products, services, and even the way that the company is run. In order to survive in this new ecosystem of the market, traditional companies are being forced to re-examine their services and business models. The good news is that being adaptable can have its benefits for your company. Here are some ways to help create more of a tech start-up culture within your traditional business.

Tech Integration

This important method is brought up in Anna-Lee Muck’s article in Dell Technologies. More and more, traditional companies that are not associated with tech at all are integrating tech industries into their companies. Some the companies Muck gives as examples are Ford, Volkswagen, Allstate and even Domino’s. While these companies traditionally have essentially nothing to do with the tech industry, these companies are incorporating tech into their businesses by offering tech services and even launching tech start-ups.

Muck’s article shows how much tech is deeply integrated into certain traditional businesses. Muck offers Domino’s as an example, where out of the 800 employees working in HQ, 400 are involved in tech roles. This is a staggering amount for what is traditionally thought of as a pizza business. That being said, with the amount of tech that individuals, and thus customers, have now, it can pay to integrate tech within your own business.

New Approach to Employees

This important piece of the puzzle comes from Jessica Mah’s article in Inc. Traditional businesses have a very top-down approach, with a regimented way of dealing with employees, even down to what to wear to a job interview. Mah suggests that this rigid approach may not be the best solution. Mah uses the company Boston Consulting Group as an example of a new way to deal with employees. In BCG, the belief is that the culture of a business is developed by how well the employees are taken care of. In BCG’s case, this means paid sabbaticals, work schedules that are flexible and professional development programs, among others.

What these benefits help create is a workforce that feels well taken care of and respected. This in turn can lead to a positive culture, which ultimately benefits the business. The idea here, as Mah writes, is that, “individual team members take care of business when the business takes care of its team.” This type of mutually beneficial relationship can be a great way to infuse the start-up culture within your own business.

Be Disruptive

There are several characteristics that successful startups share. One of them was that they were involved with disruptive ideas and technology. According to the article, these disruptive ideas and tech are meant to frustrate competition and make customers happy. In essence, these disruptions can create a whole new way of doing business in a particular field that makes older, more traditional models obsolete.

The trick to staying ahead of these disruptions as a more traditional business is by becoming more disruptive yourself. Traditional businesses must begin to rethink the way they are operating, as well as their products and services. The saying, “complacency kills,” is certainly applicable in the business world. Thus, it pays to be disruptive and innovative with your own business model, products and services.

In the end, tech start-ups have changed the business world and market, not just with new products and services but with corporate structure and identity. While these new advancements might seem threatening to more traditional businesses, they may actually be useful to integrate. Hopefully the ideas given above can help you start to incorporate tech start-up culture into your business.

Tags: business, company, create, culture, how to, start-up, tech, traditional company

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.