With the news that Salesforce has been ranked #3 by Great Places to Work UK, Andy Lawson, SVP & UK Country Leader shares his views on the Salesforce UK company culture and benefits for the Salesforce UK workforce. 

What were your motivations for taking part in the Best Workplaces Programme?

Salesforce is growing rapidly in the UK, and we attribute that success to our employees, who are working to help customers all over the British Isles become customer success stories. The way I see it, we look to each employee to ensure we’re providing the best possible working environment. The Best Workplaces Programme gave us an opportunity to ask every employee how we’re doing, and tell us where we can step up, and gave us an opportunity to benchmark ourselves against other rated workplaces.

Earning a spot is not only an important point of pride for our current employees, but it’s also a great way to increase our employer brand awareness and to attract up-and-coming talent in the marketplace.

How would you define your company culture and why is it so important for Salesforce?

We believe that we have a responsibility to make sure our customers, our partners, and our communities feel that they are in a strong relationship – and that relationship is two-sided. This philosophy stems from our ‘Ohana’ culture, which means “family” in Hawaiian.

We’re all on a mission to help make our customers successful, and we all have the opportunity to make an impact.  Our company culture recognizes that each and every employee contribution forms part of the big picture. In my experience, knowing you’re working towards achieving someone else’s goals as well as your own makes work meaningful and ignites a passion for excellence. We live by that philosophy and I believe that’s what makes us a highly respected employer.

Is there anything you feel sets your organisation apart from others in terms of being a great place to work?

Our employees tell us constantly that our 1-1-1 integrated corporate philanthropy model is a big part of what makes Salesforce a great place to work. By dedicating 1% of our employees’ time, 1% of our equity and 1% of our product back to causes we’re passionate about, people can feel good about what they do. It’s all about leveraging our people, technology and resources to give back to the communities in which we live and work – that’s what makes our employees excited. When they give back, they give back to their schools, their assistance organisations, their charities and their community.

Were you surprised by any of the findings?

It’s really important as a fast growing organisation to take the time to stop and listen. I was excited to see the importance employees place on the collaboration, the open door policy, and the customer relationships and community that we support - this was seen as critical by every level of employee. As a leadership team, we pride ourselves in doing everything we can to keep our employees engaged and motivated so these results made me happy.

What are the 3 most important things you’ve learned along the way?

First – it’s important to be as transparent as possible. You have to take the time to stop, listen and to focus on not just meeting employee needs but in figuring out how to keep them engaged and focused not just on the work at hand but on their role in driving the future. Second, a vibrant and unique culture is something that needs to be cherished, protected, and given constant attention if you want to be a truly great place to work. And third, we have a very unique culture here – we truly believe in Ohana. 

What have been the biggest HR challenges for your organisation and how are you addressing them?

Attracting and recruiting the best talent to meet our growth goals is a constant focus for me personally. I want to continuously improve our company learning and performance and keep driving the exciting and creative culture we’ve created here in the UK. This means giving back to the employees and acknowledging their significant contributions to our overall success effectively.

What difference has taking part in the Best Workplaces Programme made to your organisation?

We’re so excited to see these rankings. To me, and to the leaders, they help demonstrate exactly why Salesforce UK is such an incredible place to work. It’s the passion, the excitement, the creativity and the focus that drives such an exceptional experience on a daily basis for every single employee.  

If you want to find your dream job at one of the UK's Best Places to Work, visit our Careers website today and make the next exciting step in your professional journey.