Johannesburg, 08 Nov 2022
Anyone working in an environment where you’re constantly having to resolve clients’ problems, work against severe deadlines with major consequences if not met, or deal with sensitive information that can lead to serious repercussions if lost or leaked, can attest to a sense of dread that comes over you when it all becomes too much. For some people, that feeling of dread, anxiety and even insomnia can become a part of how they navigate life, so much so that they don’t even remember what life would feel like without the side-effects of their jobs.
Louis Koen, Crimson Line founder and owner, says the IT consultancy takes these issues very seriously. “Perhaps ironically, since COVID-19 is seeing more companies implement work-from-home strategies, we really encourage people to come to the office because of the company’s creative and problem-solving working nature.” We use collaborative tools daily regardless of where we’re working from to make it easy should an employee need to work from home.
“If you don't get into an environment where you can interact with people, your mental health takes a knock. It can be hard to ask for help when a task has been assigned to you and you don’t want to look incompetent because you’ve hit a roadblock. Yet, at Crimson Line when a colleague overhears you sigh, or sees a defeated look on your face, help is offered quickly to ensure you not only improve your own knowledge, but more importantly your mental health is looked after.”
Creating specialists is a key aspect of Crimson Line’s culture as it hires people who want to learn, and they are provided with every tool they could possibly need. At the same time, the open-door policy and team building contribute towards not only a health culture, but also one in which everyone feels part of a team, and more importantly, valued.
“For example, you’ll often find people gathered around the office arcade machine and ping pong table to blow off steam during and after office hours,” says Koen. “Laughing plays a vitally important role in giving you a new perspective on a problem, while it also builds closer bonds with the people you’re engaging with.”
A culture of happiness is something Crimson Line takes seriously. The candidate may have the best CV, but if they don’t fit in, they won’t be hired. How strengths complement each other is vital, and having a focus on the team’s strengths, rather than weaknesses, contributes to overall employee happiness. “People often have blind spots about their strengths, and we work on that. We ensure a balanced team, with strengths that compensate for each other’s strengths. You're not going to change somebody's bad habit, but you can improve the way that they function within the group.”
This is, says Koen, part of offering an environment that is positive and enlightening, which is often what people look for, beyond the perks and salary. “We value our employees, and we believe in open and constructive communication throughout the company. It's not just words; we invest in talent to ensure growth for the group and the individual.”
Implementing the right culture
Rici van Schalkwyk, who is responsible for organisational performance coaching and development at Wauko – a service provider to Crimson Line – explains that she helps develop a team of strong people who leverage off each other’s strengths by doing strength tests as a starting point. “This is not your skill set, necessarily, but the natural talents you were born with. Staff gain an understanding of the differences between the way you and other people think.”
This, she explains, helps people engage on a different level as they will understand each other’s differences. “This is about getting the team together as a unit, so that they can grow exponentially. The way I see it, the company can only grow if each individual grows; the company can only function properly and be happy if each individual in that workspace is happy.”
Van Schalkwyk adds that management must also set an example and be aware of softer skills and how a team fits together to help get all colleagues engaged. They need to set the vision and the mission, as well as the strategy for the next few years. “It all starts from one place, and that’s your core values.”
Valuing diversity
Crimson Line embraces diversity. Regardless of religion and sexual orientation, we find a common ground from which everyone can connect, says Koen.
“For me, it's the fact that you can walk into an environment where you are not judged for who you are. Whatever your strengths are, we work with those without looking at you askance.” Barry Rossouw, Service Delivery Manager, says that it’s all about treating people with respect regardless of who and what they are.
At the same time, diversity within an organisation brings with it different problem-solving solutions, which allows for better collaboration and an improved client experience, says Koen.
“I think that something I realised, perhaps too late in my life, is that I was taught you must work hard on things that you're not good at. And we've changed the philosophy in the company; we said let's focus on what you're good at and make that even better. Once we started doing that, that was a fundamental change for us.”
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