In today’s hyper-competitive landscape, fast-growing companies often face a paradox in that the very scale that signals success can also threaten the cultural fabric that made it possible in the first place. Yet some firms are proving that growth and culture are not mutually exclusive, and that, when aligned, they can fuel sustained innovation.
Culture as a Strategic Lever
One of those companies is Vitech, a leading global provider of administration software for group insurance and pension administrators. As it scaled its flagship V3locity platform, Vitech has made deliberate investments to ensure its culture evolves without losing cohesion.
“Maintaining a strong culture hinges on investing in relationships,” says Bryce Ashcraft, Chief People Officer at Vitech. “Long-term partnerships with employees, clients, and partners are prioritized to foster trust and collaboration.”
It’s a common theme among high-performing companies: culture is not an HR initiative or a values poster. It’s a living system that guides decision-making, behavior, and ultimately, performance.
Defining and Defending Core Values
At Vitech, that system is rooted in three non-negotiable values: communication, cultivation, and collaboration.
- Communication means being open and honest with employees and clients.
- Cultivation is about building trust and mutual success to support innovation.
- Collaboration encourages teamwork and shared ownership, fueling curiosity and learning
“These values serve as cultural anchors,” Ashcraft explains. “They guide behavior and decision-making as the company evolves.”
Turning Values Into Daily Practice
Those values aren’t just words — they shape how the company operates. Vitech has built internal programs like Spill the Tea and Lunch & Learns to encourage cross-departmental knowledge sharing and highlight innovations from across the organization. Employees also have access to professional development tools such as LinkedIn Learning and Pluralsight, and are encouraged to participate in social responsibility initiatives that foster a sense of purpose and community.
The result is a workforce that’s aligned, engaged, and ready to innovate.
Scaling Leadership to Scale Culture
High-growth companies often struggle with cultural consistency at the leadership level. Vitech tackles this head-on with structured leadership development.
“We look for leaders who embody our values, demonstrate empathy and adaptability, and who encourage innovation and collaboration,” says Ashcraft. “Then we give them the autonomy and tools to lead with purpose.”
Programs like Managing@Vitech, Growing@Vitech, and Leading@Vitech, as well as personalized coaching from HR Business Partners, help managers scale their impact while reinforcing the company’s cultural DNA.
Measuring Culture and Innovation
Importantly, Vitech doesn’t leave cultural success to assumption — they measure it. “We track employee satisfaction with regular surveys, and our employee net promoter score (eNPS) is a key indicator,” Ashcraft says. “Currently, 81% of employees rate their happiness positively, with new employees showing an even stronger score of 56 in their first 30 days.”
Innovation is also recognized through internal programs like Innovation Quest, which rewards employees for breakthrough thinking and problem-solving. And client and partner feedback further validates the company’s cultural and operational alignment.
A Playbook for Growth-Minded Leaders
What distinguishes companies like Vitech is their ability to treat culture not as a constraint, but as an engine of innovation. As organizations scale, complexity increases — teams get siloed, priorities diverge, and bureaucracy looms. But by anchoring growth in values and structured learning, culture becomes a force multiplier, not a casualty.
Other firms are adopting similar strategies. Atlassian promotes a “Team Anywhere” model to preserve collaboration across geographies. HubSpot revisits its “Culture Code” annually, based on feedback and outcomes. Salesforce instills its “Ohana” value system through leadership accountability and employee engagement programs.
These are not perks — they’re architecture.
The Culture-Innovation Flywheel
The takeaway for executives is clear: culture doesn’t scale by accident. It requires active investment, reinforcement, and measurement. It must be embedded in leadership development, tied to innovation incentives, and continuously informed by employee and customer feedback.
As Vitech demonstrates, the companies that succeed in today’s economy won’t just be the most innovative. They’ll be the most aligned.
Culture isn’t just part of the strategy — it is the strategy.
