How to cultivate strong culture at scale

Culture does not scale linearly with revenue or headcount —it requires intentionality the faster you grow. When I joined DPR Construction in the early 1990s, we were a small startup with a shared vision. Today, we have over 13,000 employees worldwide. Along the way, we’ve learned that sustaining culture through growth isn’t automatic—it takes clarity, intention, and continual reinforcement.

With growth, we faced a familiar challenge many companies do: How could we preserve the cultural core we started with as a smaller company as we grew to an organization of thousands of people spread across the globe?

Company culture is often described as intangible; however, like it or not, the actions we take every day, how we collaborate, and show up to work shape our culture. Here’s what we’ve learned.

START WITH STRATEGY

When you start with a common, agreed-upon purpose and strategies, and work toward an aligned vision, culture can thrive as the company scales. We saw this as we moved through the 2000s, implementing strategies to drive focus and create more predictability rather than simply growing for growth’s sake.

We sought alignment on clients in specific core markets to strengthen resiliency amid market flux. We found that concentrating on our markets allowed us to stay true to our culture by working with clients who value what we bring. We also continued to build a deeper understanding of our customers’ business and highly technical projects. This focus on customer relationships, markets, and complex projects, not growth is what continues to fuel us.

It’s important to lean into your strengths and protect the spirit of innovation that shaped you from the start.  

LISTEN WHILE YOU LEAD

To scale culture is to remember that it isn’t a top-down directive. It takes real dialogue because culture is embedded in the conversations employees have and how those conversations inform decisions.

In 2022, after years of strategic focus, we realized there was a deep need to reconnect our culture with how we led. It was a year of change: a collective moment of reckoning. Our leadership team planned something simple, but transformative. We packed our bags, rolled up our sleeves, and took a road trip for what we call Culture Con—not to deliver a message, but to listen and receive feedback.  

Senior leaders met face-to-face with all teams across all offices, including the craft workforce in the field. We didn’t come with all the answers. We came with open ears.

What unfolded was a uniquely human journey. We met with thousands of employees. We laughed, cried, and got asked hard questions, but most of all we listened. Culture Con gave us a clear lens into what our employees needed and what our company stands for. We hired simultaneous translators so employees could participate in real time. We created open, unscripted events for employees to converse directly with us, and with each other.

REINFORCE THROUGH ACTION

As companies scale, culture risks becoming only words on a wall. Growth adds complexity, and with it, the distance between leadership and teams closer to the work expands. To maintain culture, leaders must show it through actions, not just words. This means leading and reacting in ways people can see and feel.

Through Culture Con conversations, five distinct themes emerged:

• A need for a deeper understanding of our vision, purpose, and values.
• Clearer paths for career growth.
• Stronger strategic alignment for all roles.
• The importance of leading compensation and benefits.
• A call to prioritize a culture of building teams by fostering more inclusive and integrated environments.

We got to work and now have in place a new benefits package for our skilled craftspeople, tailored to meet their needs. We also introduced internal development programs to support career growth and help individuals see a long-term future with the company. To strengthen strategic alignment, we rolled out new communication tools that link everyday work to company-wide objectives. And to deepen the connection to our values, we expanded efforts to share stories and celebrate work that reflects our purpose in action.

Each of these steps helps keep culture focused and makes it real for people across every role and region. We lead by example and reinforce our culture with the changes we make and the actions we take. It’s not about having all the answers right away; it’s about listening and bringing employees along on the journey.

WHY COMPANY CULTURE MATTERS MORE THAN EVER

Culture requires active commitment every day. It is not static—to stay relevant it must evolve and grow through listening, responding, and building anew without losing what grounds you. Culture demands more of us as leaders: more empathy, agility, and aligned action.

The commitment is worth it: Companies grounded in strong cultures and values attract top talent and fuel resilience in the face of change and adversity. When your culture becomes your competitive edge, you build a company that can thrive through anything.

George Pfeffer is the CEO of DPR Construction.

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