Katie Bedborough is CFO at innovative retail team communication solutions provider VoCoVo.
Embracing a philosophy of progressive pragmatism, Katie emphasises the importance of psychological safety as a key component of building a positive working culture in a highly innovative and fast-growing Tech company. She highlights employee well-being and values-based leadership as critical facets of company success in the post-Covid era.
Read on below for the full interview:
"Innovation only happens when you create the space for people to take risks and try new things. That only happens when there is psychological safety."
M.INT –What does a ‘positive working culture’ look like in your organisation?
KB –We are a fast-growth technology company, which requires innovation. Innovation only happens when you create the space for people to take risks and try new things. That only happens when there is psychological safety.
We foster this environment in the following ways:
• Colleagues are people first, not their job: We embrace the whole human, supporting lives outside of work and focusing on employee well-being.
• Values-based leadership: Behaviour is given as much, if not more, credence than skills or technical capability.
• The right people in the right places: Providing the right materials (systems and processes) to do their jobs. This is a work in progress as our business is on quite the growth trajectory!
We foster this environment in the following ways:
• Colleagues are people first, not their job: We embrace the whole human, supporting lives outside of work and focusing on employee well-being.
• Values-based leadership: Behaviour is given as much, if not more, credence than skills or technical capability.
• The right people in the right places: Providing the right materials (systems and processes) to do their jobs. This is a work in progress as our business is on quite the growth trajectory!