Now Live : 2025 Global Most Loved Workplaces® — See the Top 100 Companies
The 2025 America’s Top 100 is live. See the list →
The 2025 America’s Top 100 is live. See the list →
In this engaging episode of The Leader Show with Lou Carter, Tom Smith, the founder and CEO of audience research powerhouse GWI, shares his blueprint for cultivating a Most Loved Workplace. He explores the pivotal role of organizational values and employee wellbeing, alongside the necessity for a culture rich in communication, transparency, and inclusivity for corporate success.
Tom also tackles the dual nature of workplace stress, differentiating between its positive drive and negative impacts, and advocates for precise goal-setting to avert inefficiency. He wraps up by stressing the importance of continuously echoing the company’s purpose, mission, and values to secure employee alignment and foster lasting engagement.
Hey everyone! It’s an absolute delight to welcome you to another engaging episode of The Leader Show with Lou Carter. We are joined by Tom Smith, the founder and CEO of GWI, a leading audience research company in the UK. Recognized for its workplace environment, GWI is ranked number 55 globally and number 17 in the UK’s 2023 Most Loved Workplaces lists.
Tom attended the University of Sheffield and worked at Universal McCann, where he focused on the impact of the internet and communications technology. In 2009, he founded GWI, which offers modern, instant-access market research that represents the views, behaviors, and interests of nearly 3 billion consumers.
In this episode, we’ll explore Tom’s journey to creating a “Most Loved Workplace®” and the importance of workplace culture and employee well-being in business success. So, without further ado, let’s jump right in.
Firstly, Tom elaborates on the foundational elements contributing to GWI’s success and the critical role of organizational culture and values in fostering growth and innovation. He emphasizes the significance of people in scaling a company and how essential it is for employees to be fully engaged and committed to the company’s journey.
According to Tom, GWI’s scalability and innovation derive from solving a critical market research problem, enabling quick and affordable access to vast global consumer data via a software platform. This solution caters not just to market researchers but to professionals across various fields, democratizing market research.
Tom recounts GWI’s journey from its inception in 2009, through bootstrapping phases, to becoming a substantial enterprise with over 500 employees. He highlights the importance of a shared vision and mission in creating a cohesive company culture that scales as the company grows. Ensuring that employees feel part of something impactful is presented as a cornerstone for success.
Further, Tom discusses how GWI maintains a positive culture at scale, focusing on clear communication of the company’s vision, mission, and strategy, inclusive share options for all employees, and the codification of core values. The team-developed values comprise “think big” to foster innovation, “voice to ask why,” to promote curiosity, and “show respect” to ensure a transparent, collaborative, and respectful environment.
These principles, according to Tom, are integral to building an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and part of the company’s journey.
Next, Tom discusses the importance of consistent communication in maintaining a strong organizational culture, especially in the context of hybrid work environments brought about by COVID-19. He explains how GWI has adapted its communication strategies to ensure transparency and alignment across the enterprise. Key methods include:
#1 Monthly Town Halls
GWI hosts monthly town hall meetings to share updates on the business, new initiatives, and strategic directions. These sessions are transparent and include Q&A segments with the management team, fostering an open dialogue between employees and leadership.
#2 Digital And In-Person Q&As
Communication channels have expanded to include digital platforms like Slack, in addition to traditional in-person meetings, allowing for a broader reach and engagement across different locations.
#3 Leadership Accessibility
Tom and the leadership team prioritize being visible and accessible to employees. It involves traveling to different offices, engaging with teams, and ensuring that executive presence is felt throughout the organization. Efforts are made to bring the whole company together, reinforcing a sense of unity and shared culture.
Tom emphasizes the importance of not being a “ghost” leader, especially in a remote or hybrid work setup. He advocates for management by walking around (MBWA), a tried and true principle that values direct interaction and engagement with employees. This approach is about being present, listening, and responding to employees’ needs in real time, which Tom sees as crucial for leadership in a founder-led business.
He acknowledges the pressures of leading a company but also highlights the fun and rewarding aspects of the journey.
In the same vein, Tom discusses the emphasis GWI places on employee well-being and how it intertwines with the company’s culture and operations. He outlines several key strategies and principles that GWI employs to support the well-being of its employees:
#1 Open And Inclusive Culture
Creating an environment where employees feel valued and included is fundamental for well-being. It includes ensuring that the company culture is welcoming and supportive.
#3 People And Culture Team
GWI has a dedicated team focused on employee well-being, offering various tools and services such as coaching and development opportunities.
#3 Leadership And Training
Recognizing the challenges of leadership roles, GWI invests in leadership training to empower its employees with the skills needed to lead effectively, contributing to overall team well-being.
#4 Events And Collaboration
The company organizes events and activities both within and outside the office to foster community, collaboration, and personal development among employees.
#5 Hybrid Working Model
GWI values the flexibility of hybrid working, which allows employees to control their work schedules and environments. It not only supports employee well-being but also enhances diversity and inclusivity within the company by enabling the hiring of talented individuals from various backgrounds and locations.
#6 Work-Life Balance
The flexibility offered by GWI aims to improve employees’ quality of life by helping them balance professional responsibilities with personal and family needs.
Tom highlights the significant benefits of hybrid and flexible working conditions for employee well-being and the company’s ability to attract diverse and talented individuals. He shares his experiences with rigid advertising working environments and how the shift towards flexibility and ownership of one’s work-life balance has been a personal and professional liberator.
By adopting this approach, GWI has expanded its ability to attract global talent, becoming more competitive and innovative.
As the conversation draws close, the speakers delve into managing stress, flexibility, and clarity in fast-paced settings, highlighting its significance for employee well-being and positive anxiety management.
Tom acknowledges the inherent challenges and constant evolution within a growth-oriented business. He notes that while some employees thrive in this dynamic environment, others may find it challenging. GWI focuses on workshops, leadership training, and flexible working arrangements to support employees, aiming to balance high expectations and rapid changes with employee well-being.
Lou points out that many struggle with ongoing anxiety. While certain stress can motivate, it’s vital to differentiate between positive and negative stress for well-being. They discuss how perception and management of stress can influence performance and health outcomes, pointing out that understanding and navigating stress can enhance productivity.
Tom adds that creating positive stress involves setting clear goals and objectives, reducing ambiguity, and ensuring that everyone has distinct ownership of their roles and responsibilities. This clarity helps minimize overlap and confusion, which can lead to stress and inefficiency.
The conversation also touches on the importance of clear communication of the company’s purpose, mission, and goals. As GWI grew, the necessity of explicitly defining and communicating these elements became evident. Codifying and continuously reinforcing the company’s direction through onboarding and regular communication helps align employees’ efforts and reduces cognitive biases that can lead to misunderstandings.
Overall, the conversation emphasizes managing growth with an eye on employee well-being, leveraging stress constructively, and ensuring clear communication and goal-setting to tackle the challenges of scaling a business.
Thank you for your time!
