Apax Celebrates Winning the Best Team Culture Award! | UK Company Culture Awards

How shared values can carry a team through change, from paper to paperless

On 8 August 2024, Apax shared the news on the UK Company Culture Awards website that it had won the Best Team Culture award. Apax is a supported housing social enterprise based in Sydenham, South East London, and the award recognised the team behind its work.

The post pointed to several reasons for the win, among them a move from paper to paperless working. It raises a question many organisations face: how do you change the way you work without losing what holds a team together?

Change Is Felt by People First

Every change in how an organisation works is, in the end, a change in people's days. New systems alter habits, and even welcome improvements can bring a period of uncertainty while everyone adjusts. Some people adapt quickly, while others need more time and reassurance.

In supported housing, where staff give so much of themselves to residents, that period needs particular thought. A team that feels stretched or unheard during change can lose the warmth that residents rely on. Change handled well can strengthen that warmth instead.

This is why culture matters most when things are moving. Shared values give people something steady to hold on to while the tools around them change, and they remind everyone why the change is worth making.

From Paper to Paperless

In its post, Apax described the move from paper to paperless as a major milestone, and one that had been challenging but rewarding in such a specialised field. It was named as one of the key reasons behind the award.

The post explained that equipping the team with the necessary knowledge and resources had been crucial. A new system is only as good as the confidence people feel in using it each day. Training, patience and a chance to practise all help.

Going paperless is rarely about technology alone. It involves rethinking how information is recorded and shared, and making sure that every colleague, whatever their starting point, feels able to keep up. Nobody should be left behind by a new way of working.

Values That Hold Steady

Apax's post linked the award to a commitment to embedding core values into every part of its work, from recruitment through to daily operations. Values chosen at the hiring stage tend to shape how a team behaves under pressure.

During periods of change, values act like a compass. When a new process raises questions that no manual can answer, people can ask what fits with the values they share and find their way from there.

This steadiness also helps new colleagues settle. They join a team that knows what it stands for, even while the tools it uses continue to evolve, and that clarity makes learning easier. It gives them a sense of belonging from the first day.

Learning Built Into the Week

The post also mentioned digital platforms for streamlined processes and better communication, along with flexible e-learning programmes. The post described these as part of a proactive approach to the challenges of an ever-changing digital age.

Flexible learning recognises that people learn in different ways and at different times. Staff who work shifts or move between services can fit training around their days, rather than waiting for a single session that suits nobody. It also sends a message that every colleague's growth matters.

Our own announcement of Apax winning the Best Team Culture award sits in the Awards section of our website. This article looks instead at the wider question of how culture carries a team through change.

Keeping People Together

Among the reasons given for the award, the post highlighted employee retention and a continuous pursuit of improvement. Keeping colleagues through a period of change is one of the clearest signs that a culture is working.

People tend to stay where they feel valued and included. When staff are part of shaping a change, rather than having it done to them, they are more likely to see it through together. Listening early often prevents problems later.

Continuity matters for residents too. Familiar faces build trust over time, and that trust lies at the heart of the relationships that help residents feel settled, safe and able to grow.

Technology in Service of Wellbeing

The post described the Virtual Reality Wellness recovery programme as part of the same proactive approach, and said these initiatives had improved operational efficiency while having a positive effect on the wellbeing of both staff and residents.

That pairing is worth holding on to. Efficiency on its own can feel cold, but when it frees up time and energy for people, it becomes a quiet form of kindness. Time saved on paperwork is time that can be given back to people.

A culture that welcomes new ideas while keeping wellbeing at its centre is better placed to adapt. It can try things, learn from what happens and adjust without losing its sense of purpose.

Purpose and Gratitude

The post closed by referring to the concept of Ikigai, which Apax describes as finding purpose and fulfilment in work. It also noted that the category was highly nominated, with every entrant deserving praise.

Apax thanked the judges for their evaluation and kind words, and thanked everyone who had been part of the journey. The recognition belongs to the whole team, and to the residents whose lives give that work its meaning. It was a moment to pause and be thankful.

You can read the full post in the UK Company Culture Awards news pages: Apax Celebrates Winning the Best Team Culture Award!