‍Companies that are growing or merging must harmonise not only processes, systems, and data, but, above all, bring together people with different values, experiences, and working styles. They are the key to success – yet employees and culture rarely receive the attention they deserve.

Corporate acquisitions involve profound transformation processes taking place on many levels. Organisationally, group functions must be redefined and teams merged. Standardised processes require consistent implementation, while on the IT side, the integration of different systems into a central platform is crucial for future scalability. Governance also plays a vital role. In addition to regulatory and legal frameworks and standardised controls, new reporting structures for staff must be established.

The cultural dimension is decisive for success. Successful integration is not achieved by structural measures alone – it requires a living corporate culture that provides orientation and a sense of belonging for employees.

Corporate Culture in Everyday Life: More than a Concept

Culture is not an abstract construct; it is reflected in our daily behaviour. It manifests in our routines: how we conduct meetings, the type of training and feedback we provide, or how we value the time of our colleagues.

For example, if meetings are scheduled back-to-back from 8am to 6pm or lunch breaks are routinely ignored, it shapes the company’s culture. An exaggerated sense of urgency, unrealistic deadlines, or expectations to work through illness are also expressions of a particular corporate culture.

Why Corporate Culture Deserves Our Attention

The importance of corporate culture is often underestimated – a mistake, for many reasons. In our view, three arguments especially stand out:

Firstly, a clear and lived corporate culture strengthens the sense of belonging. When employees feel they are part of a team and are working towards a shared goal, they identify more strongly with their work. This enhances cohesion and collaboration.

Secondly, motivation also increases when the company’s values align with personal beliefs. Employees who identify with the company’s principles are more engaged and willing to take on greater responsibility.

Thirdly, a strong corporate culture makes a company more attractive to new talent. Applicants are increasingly interested in the values practised within a company and ask targeted questions about them. An authentic culture not only makes it easier to attract new employees, but also to retain them over time.

At Unzer, our regular staff surveys reflect this: we achieve the highest satisfaction scores in “team cohesion” and “autonomy”. What may appear contradictory at first in fact complements each other perfectly: our staff work independently and autonomously while still being part of a team, where appreciation and respect underpin collaboration.

Success Factors for Effective Transformation
But what happens when different cultures collide, such as through a merger or strategic realignment? The success of transformation is often determined by how these varying cultures are handled.

For us, three aspects are particularly crucial: (1) transparent communication, (2) clear yet flexible guidelines, and (3) leadership that actively models culture. Let’s take a closer look at these points.

Open Communication Builds Trust

We know that transparency reduces uncertainty, especially during times of change.

Regular updates and open forums for questions and concerns are enormously helpful for building trust. It is essential that everyone understands why changes are necessary and what personal or team benefits they bring. The question “What’s in it for me?” should always be considered when communicating, as transformation should never be an end in itself, but serve the company’s efficiency, coherence, or consistency.

However, genuine communication means more than just providing information. When a feedback culture is truly embraced, challenges are identified sooner and solutions developed collaboratively. This fosters constructive exchange, which not only informs but also connects teams and enables the best possible outcomes.

Culture Requires Clarity and Flexibility

When cultures meet, it is crucial to listen and understand what truly matters. Imposing a ready-made, “one-size-fits-all” culture rarely works – it ignores individual needs and is likely to fail.

At the same time, there must be common guiding principles upon which we can agree. Not many, but the right ones: values that unite us, leadership principles to guide us, and a shared understanding that accommodates different backgrounds. A strong culture thrives in this balance: providing support but also enough freedom.

Culture Must Be Lived

We are convinced that culture is not created by nice words, a table football in the office, or strategies, but is shaped by those who live it daily. Leaders in particular have a crucial role. A quote from American education experts Steve Gruenert and Todd Whitaker, in their book School Culture Rewired, stays with us: “The culture of any organization is shaped by the worst behaviour the leader is willing to tolerate.”

For us, leadership means not only making decisions, but above all, setting an example. How we treat others, which values we embody, and where we set clear boundaries all determine the culture that prevails in the company.

Ultimately, it is about creating an environment in which people feel valued, can take responsibility, and enjoy working together. If this succeeds, the company and each individual within it grows.

Case Study Unzer: From Thirteen Separate Companies to an Integrated Ecosystem

At Unzer, we have experienced first-hand how challenging it can be to change established structures and processes—especially when these have proven themselves over many years. Our company brings together thirteen subsidiaries, each of which has contributed its own solutions to our ecosystem of payment and software solutions.

Many of these companies were already successful, with established processes and strong brands. For their employees, the necessity for change was not always immediately apparent. This made it essential for us to make the benefits of the transformation tangible and to foster acceptance for the changes ahead. A clear answer to the question “Why?” was key.

Change Requires (Over-)Communication

Change needs a compelling rationale. When something is changed, both employees and managers must not only understand what is changing, but above all why this change is necessary.

We like to speak of overcommunication in this context. In recent years, we have invested heavily in internal communication. Virtual all-hands meetings, internal communication channels, and in-person events allow us to discuss openly and exchange ideas.

A particular highlight is our annual CXO Roadshow, introduced in 2023. Here, at least three of our managing directors visit each of our eight corporate locations to foster direct interaction with our teams. In open Q&A sessions and smaller group discussions, we can address our concerns directly and receive immediate feedback. All topics raised are documented and actionable solutions are developed in working groups.

These dialogue and feedback formats are embedded in our speak-up culture: every voice counts, and everyone is encouraged to express their opinion freely—without fear of negative consequences. Anyone can attend open office hours with the management or simply contribute feedback and ideas to our virtual suggestion box. Additionally, we have established a whistleblower system that allows concerns and misconduct to be reported confidentially or anonymously.

Change Takes Time

Even though we have placed culture and communication at the heart of our transformation processes, challenges have become evident in day-to-day cooperation. For example, some employees did not speak sufficient English, others did not understand German. As a result, we have increasingly relied on AI solutions like our internal UnzerAI, which translates information into all languages and is also fed with internal data. Nevertheless, key information, guidelines, and our intranet are always made available bilingually.

Another challenge was that the transformation also altered roles and competence profiles. Many of the subsidiaries, due to their independent size, employed generalists in key positions—which was understandable. However, in a larger organisation like Unzer, with over 750 people at eight locations, there is a growing need for expertise. We needed experts to help elevate Unzer to the next level.

The shift from broadly skilled generalists to focussed, specialised teams was a pivotal step, which we carefully supported with staff discussions and training.

At the same time, we learned that not everyone progresses through change at the same pace. While some embraced the transformation swiftly, others required more time, or even needed to take a step back. One of the biggest challenges was accepting that not everyone would choose to take this path. Some colleagues consciously decided against the change and left the company. As challenging as this is, it ultimately helps to build a culture in which everyone can identify with the collective goals.

Transformation Is an Ongoing Journey

We haven’t reached our final destination, but we can already feel the positive effects of change. We have increased efficiency, reduced costs, and significantly improved our profit margins, thereby positioning ourselves successfully in the market. At the same time, we have expanded our product portfolio and strengthened our position. Today, we offer every key payment and software solution from a single source—enabling our customers to benefit from seamless, efficient commerce processes.

Along the way, we have learned a lot; most importantly, three things:

First: Transformation is a continuous process with clear milestones – but true change never ends. Second: Change requires meaningful dialogue. Standardising processes and creating efficient structures is important, but even more so is keeping the big picture in mind and actively involving employees in the transformation. Third: Change does not begin with a strategy or new processes – it begins with people. A strong corporate culture ensures that change is not perceived as a threat, but as an opportunity. Companies that actively shape their culture and place it at the heart of transformation are ultimately more successful.