We hear a lot about company culture these days. It seems a recurring topic that pops up, especially when companies experience difficulty in finding new employees. Suddenly, the company culture becomes a component of the recruiting process. Culture, however, cannot be a buzzword or a flavor of the day. It is the most important ingredient in finding the organization of your choice, no matter where you are in your career. You can make money anywhere and find friends at most companies that may employ you. But finding a company culture that keeps you motivated, energized, and lets you be you is much harder to find.
Back in the ’90s, when the Baan Company morphed into a multi-billion dollar global software company, many people credited the Baan Culture as a critical component of its success. Still, today, when you speak with former Baan employees, the Baan Culture is often a topic of conversation. Employees shared the stories with friends and family members who soon became interested in working for a company that nurtures people and fosters a growth mindset in a mutually respected environment. Many of these employees enjoyed a time when everyone was encouraged, motivated, and rewarded.
The driver behind Baan Culture was our founder Jan Baan. From the early days of Baan Info Systems in the mid-’80s, Jan took the position that he didn’t know everything and surrounded himself with people who could do the things he couldn’t or didn’t like to do. His motto, “better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission,” combined with his enthusiasm, gave everyone the feeling they could accomplish anything they were given to do while still being held accountable.
He implemented the 3-I’s principle (Innovation, Initiative, and Integrity), another integral part of the company’s DNA that created the Baan Culture so many still remember. Many former Baan employees have built successful careers and brought the 3-I mindset to other organizations.
Or, as Ramanathan Subramanian (former General Manager of Baan Company in India) said so well in a note to Jan:
“Company culture is often mentioned as an outcome of its business success. The greater the success in terms of revenues and profits, the higher the tendency to elevate its culture. Can the company culture survive the scrutiny of business success? Can it outlive the original organization and still exist in the minds and hearts of the people it nurtured? Can it be carried to other organizations and still be talked about with pride? Can it make an impact on an individual outside work? Can it rally around and self-organize itself into a network?”
Was it transferable to other organizations? Were other organizations able to create a mindset and energy similar to what was experienced in the Baan days?
Vinodh Kumar Jk (Senior Vice President Product at Vanenburg) certainly has that experience:
“I had the good opportunity to join a ‘Jan Baan’ company for the third time (Baan, Cordys, Vanenburg), and I love every bit of it.”
Now, after 40 years of building successful organizations, Jan is still as enthusiastic and full of energy as before. Now he is building Vanenburg into the leading Google Cloud partner for low-code / no-code and lean code platforms, with team members looking forward to welcoming you.
If you are looking for a company that encourages your creativity, gives you the space to grow and evolve with realistic targets and without a complex hierarchy, feel free to reach out and learn more. All we are looking for is your Initiative to be Innovative in an environment that encourages you to ask for forgiveness instead of permission, with Integrity.
