Culture doesn’t have a price. It’s not a number you can measure. But it’s the glue that holds everything together.

There’s a lot to be said about company culture. Sure, you can measure productivity, profits, and KPIs—but when it comes to culture, the value is a little harder to pin down.

Take last month, when our awesome CEO went all out and booked a luxury tipi for the team at Hardwick Live. We had it all: a private bar, food, and even our own posh, fancy loos.

He didn’t have to do it. In fact, no one expects you to spend big on staff events. Could we have settled for a casual trip to ‘Spoons and ended the night off at the Wobbly Goblin? Absolutely.

But he did it for one simple reason: a positive company culture is priceless.

If there’s any real measure of company culture, being named a top 100 Great Place to Work® in the UK is a solid indicator—and it’s something we’re all immensely proud of. Recognition like this matters even more in an industry as competitive as ours, where it can be hard to hold on to great people.

We want to keep the incredible talent we already have, and the culture goes a long way in helping them stick around.

Attracting the best also means relying less on hiring managers overselling the company and more on employees being our true advocates. Because real culture is what you live and feel. It’s what happens between the work.

So here’s why events like Hardwick Live really matter…

Why Events Matter

We’re growing, fast. And with growth comes new challenges. Different departments. New faces. A growing team that doesn’t always get the chance to mix.

Events like Hardwick give us a chance to break that barrier. It gives opportunity for real bonds to form – where you move past the small talk at the coffee machine and start to really know the people around you.

That’s when things shift. You’re not just working next to people; you’re working with them. Even if you’re not working directly together, you’re all pulling toward the same goal. Regardless of department , or role, everyone’s on the same page, batting in the same direction.

Another important part is about actually celebrating work.

It’s easy to have a Christmas party once a year and call it a day. But what about the rest of the year? We hit major targets on a quarterly basis – shouldn’t we celebrate that, too?

We recently celebrated our best month ever!

People are putting in the effort all year long, so it’s only fair that we show our appreciation more than once. Last quarter was our best yet, and the team deserved the best event to match it. Celebrating those wins fosters a culture of achievement, where people feel recognised not just for the big moments, but for the hard work they put in every single day.

Why It’s All About Well-Being

Yes, work is work. But we spend 40+ hours a week with our colleagues. Whether or not you come to work to make friends, relationships matter.

We spend so much time together that the relationships we form can either lift us up or weigh us down. Real connections lead to collaboration, trust, and a stronger, healthier team. They have the power to make long days shorter, challenges easier, and the successes sweeter.

So, how do you make that happen?

Events like Hardwick aren’t a silver bullet. You can’t just throw a big party once a year and call it culture. Real culture happens every day. Events are the cherry on top – not the cake.

The “cake” is actually caring, every day. Not just for work, but for each other. Here’s some things we do to bake that culture:

• We create moments for connection. From BBQs to race days, the pizza lunches, and spontaneous coffee runs—these are the things that keep us close.
• We talk. And not just in meetings. Real, open communication. Want to bring up an idea or concern? Our open-door policy isn’t just for show.
• We celebrate everything, big or small. Whether it’s the EOTM award or Lucy’s “trolley of dreams” packed with goodies, we make sure people feel seen.
• We invest in growth. Learning isn’t optional – it’s encouraged. Opportunities for development keep people motivated and evolving.

Lucy’s “trolley of dreams”!

When people feel genuinely cared for, it shows in their work. They take on challenges with a positive attitude and feel part of something bigger than themselves.

That’s the kind of investment that pays off far beyond the balance sheet.

We could’ve saved a bit of money on Hardwick—no one’s denying that.

But when it comes down to it, we’d rather have an unhappy accountant than an unhappy team.

Companies should care less about the price of maintaining a positive culture and more on the cost of not having one. An agency without good people is just a hollow shell, and that’s a price we’re not willing to pay.

And if we ever need a reminder of that, we just look back at the faces captured by @content_by_matt from Hardwick Festival. We’ll choose that, every single time.