How Timpsons Paves The Way For Company Culture

Company culture is a phrase often thrown around, and many might associate it with those quirky employers that have a slide into the office, or a ball pit in the break room. The term has quickly become associated with an employer that provides a fun place to work, and this pretty much sums it up. But that’s not the only thing that defines a great company to work with, that examples prolific culture. A brand that proves this every single day, is Timpsons.

I love the Timpsons brand because they are consistent. They really reinforce the importance of great company culture and a prolific reputation. On paper, Timpsons is a brand that might have faced struggles during the Covid-19 pandemic, but due to being established in their industry, and having a glowing corporate image to match, the brand seems to be doing great.

Company Culture – Why Is It Important?

Company culture is very important for a number of reasons, brand image is just one of them. You want to be seen as a desirable place to work, so that you attract the best talent into your business. I could also delve deep into my HR books from university, and tell you the impacts of a boosted morale on motivation and productivity. But the long and short is that being a great employer, is beneficial to your entire business model, not just your staff.

Something else that proficient company culture can result in, is great PR for your business. Brand reputation remains to be one of the most fundamental pillars of business success, because if your business isn’t ‘liked’, it’s not going to perform as well. Timpsons is a very likeable business, and as such is one you’ll remember. Their many years of trade are at least part in testament, I would say, to the fact that they seem a great place to work with business values that can be appreciated by the most of us. If your business is doing great things, naturally you’re going to attract the right kind of publicity, which is what we’ve seen today.

Earlier, James Timpson, Chief Executive of the Timpson Group, announced why branches might be a little quieter this week…

Speaking in a way so that we can all understand, James is a great face of the brand, and his comments today have been well received by plenty. The revelation has even caught the attention of local newspapers.

On the flip side, if you’re a not-so-great employer, this can have repercussions on your brand too. This takes me back to some time ago, where an ex-Wagamama employee shared some questionable management advice on taking sick leave. A viral post on social media was coupled with the recent breaking news that the brand was paying their employees less than minimum wage. It’s unsurprising that, during this time, the brand was on the receiving end of some pretty bad press. If I remember rightly, they were also trending on Twitter too and facing a good deal of backlash on social media.

I wrote a post back then about why bad employee management can be bad for your brand image too. Though it’s a pretty old blog, the core principles remain the same.

In short, company culture is important, because it is one of the things that contributes to your overall brand image. If you’re treating your employees well, then your brand becomes more relatable and its easier for customers to form emotional attachments to you and your core values. If you’re doing the opposite, it’s not uncommon for people to want to call for a boycott (you need look no further than the attitudes to Wetherspoons to see that).

The Example That The Timpsons Brand Sets

Timpsons sets a great example to companies not just in its own industry, but across the board. Time and time again I find myself praising them for just getting it right. From supporting the most vulnerable…

…To caring for their staff the way that we’ve seen earlier today.

When you think of Timpsons, you don’t just think of shoe repairs and key cuttings, you’ll think of the brand that has been built. A kind and compassionate one, with genuine values at heart. Its the kind of brand that many would want to associate with, and one I think will be around for years to come because of this.

Their tagline “great service by great people” couldn’t be more appropriate.