Culture as a business imperative for high performance

The rules of the workplace are being rewritten at breakneck speed. Gone are the days of rigid, legacy-heavy organisations; in their place are organisations that are nimble and agile—shaped by rapid technological advancement, the rising expectations of a multigenerational workforce, which now includes up to five distinct generations working side by side for the first time in history, and the complexities introduced by global hybrid work models.

In this complex environment, organisations find themselves grappling with a fundamental paradox: how to utilise culture as a strategic lever for high performance, while remaining grounded in a human, values-led approach—a ‘work hard, play hard’ ethos that fosters both accountability and engagement.

Why culture remains king in high-performing and agile environments

This intentional approach to culture yields significant returns: organisations with adaptable cultures, for instance, report a 28% increase in revenue over a three-year period.

Cultivating a culture that drives high performance is central to organisational agility itself.

Start-ups, often associated with agility, benefit from greater flexibility due to the absence of traditional legacy systems, yet they often assume that a culture will naturally emerge from close proximity and shared purpose. This assumption is risky. When culture is left to evolve on its own, it can become inconsistent, fragmented, or misaligned with the organisation’s growth ambitions.

For culture to serve as a strategic business lever for modern, agile organisations, it needs to be consciously crafted through an effective combination of dynamic leadership, defined values, robust processes—hallmarks of a high-performing culture.

It first starts with leadership: Driving culture from the top

Leaders are the primary architects of an organisation’s culture, with leadership having one of the greatest impacts on improving an organisation’s culture. Their behaviours, decisions, and communication styles set the tone, establish norms, and directly influence the environment of trust and performance.

Leaders, however, must counterbalance their actions with a commitment to strategic thinking in an era where agility drives competitive edge. This means cultivating a vision that ensures sustainable growth and resilience amidst rapid market shifts, as well as establishing scalable systems and practices that endure beyond immediate business goals.

Authentic values that are the heartbeat of intentional culture

For culture to be truly impactful, core values must be embedded across all levels of the organisation.

When the team consistently embodies core values—be it integrity, innovation, or client-centricity—they reinforce a consistent cultural experience that becomes the foundation for sustained high performance and unwavering trust. For instance, integrity, when upheld together with proper governance structures, fosters profound trust across all interactions. This trust minimises friction, enhances collaboration, and strengthens reliability, all of which are vital for achieving high performance.

This consistency also serves as a powerful internal compass, enabling teams to make informed decisions independently while staying aligned with strategic goals.

Operationalising culture through internal systems and processes

In highly structured environments—such as banks and multinational corporations—leaders often drive performance and shape organisational cultures through stringent compliance, governance, and defined processes. These frameworks bring operational stability but can hinder performance and growth.

Smaller, more agile organisations can operationalise culture without the same degree of bureaucracy or institutional weight through intentional cultural design, clarity of purpose, and empowered leadership.

READ MORE: Flexible work, stronger culture: What HR needs to know now

Core to this approach are clear internal systems, consistent behaviours, and effective decision-making processes that not only enable operational excellence but also reinforce the organisation’s cultural values at every level. From how teams are onboarded to how performance is reviewed and recognised, these systems ensure culture is clearly operationalised and implemented.

At WRISE, as we integrate talent from diverse professional backgrounds—blending the structured thinking of banking with entrepreneurial agility—these systems create the glue that binds our teams across functions. Whether it is weekends filled with bowling, running, tennis, or dragon boating, what stands out is our shared mindset: we work hard and play hard together.

This structured approach to culture allows us to scale globally while maintaining a cohesive, high-performing culture—one that is resilient, responsive, and deeply aligned with our values.

Building a strong culture as the foundation for success

Through intentional leadership behaviours, purpose-built systems that go beyond operational levers of success, organisations can build agile and successful teams anchored in trust. A high performing culture becomes the fundamental foundation for long-term success, empowering organisations to attract and retain top talent across generations and geographies, and to not just survive, but thrive amidst constant change.

About the Author:

Derrick Tan is Group Executive Chairman of WRISE Group.