2. Corporate culture is the backbone of any successful company. In
2016, computer software company, Adobe, was recognised in
Fortune Magazine’s ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’, for the
16th time.
Founded by John Warnock and Charles Geschke, computer
scientists from Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), Adobe
Systems Inc. started in a small office in Silicon Valley, 1983.
Stemming from research related to computer graphics systems and
printing, the pair went on to revolutionise multimedia software,
changing visual communication forever.
3. Adobe Systems, Inc. provides top
class digital media and digital
marketing solutions through its four
segments. The segments are Digital
Media, Print and Publishing, and
Digital Marketing. Adobe’s Digital
Media segment offers cloud and
creative services where users
download and install new versions of
products. The Print and Publishing
segment offer legacy services and
products for technical document
printing, high-end printing, eLearning
solutions, and web application
development. The Digital Marketing
segment provides solutions in cross-
channel campaign management,
social marketing, analytics, media
optimization, targeting, and digital
experience management.
Adobe’s revenue grew
from about $1 billion to $4
billion between 1999 and
2012. As a top American
multinational computer
software company, with a
highly influential
contribution in virtual
communication and
multimedia, 93% of the
company’s current 17,000
employees love their
workplace. And Adobe has
revenue of 7.3 billion USD
in 2017 operating in over
17 different countries.
4. The organizational culture represents the specific pre-
defined policies that provide guidance to the
employees and give a sense of direction. It is a
complex system that comprises the shared beliefs,
values and assumptions, and governs the employees’
behavior within the organization. These underlying
assumptions, beliefs and values contribute to the
unique and distinct psychological and social
environment.
Organizational culture
5. Organizational culture of Adobe
The vision statement of Adobe is brief and to the point. This means that the company has not used
long dialects and dialogues to delivers its opinion ad stance to the public and relevant stakeholders.
The vision statement should be brief and comprehensive – it should communicate the essence of the
business, and its future plans to help the stakeholders understand its business philosophy and
business strategy.
6. Artefacts of Adobe’s organizational culture
The artefacts form the outermost layer of the organizational culture circle. The artefacts are the tangible and visible aspects of the Adobe’s
organizational culture. Some examples of the artefacts are- open door policy, office layout and official dress code for the employees. The
cultural artefacts of the Adobe are easily observable by the outside world, however they are hard to interpret.
Values within the Adobe’s organizational culture
The core values are not easily observable. The Adobe’s core values are the shared goals, principles and standards. These core values are
accountability, diversity, quality, collaboration, passion, integrity and leadership. The Adobe management understands the importance of
communicating the core values so that each employee could accept and modify the behavior accordingly.
Assumptions within the Adobe’s organizational culture
Assumptions are deeply embedded ideologies and philosophies and provide the foundation to the Adobe’s organizational culture. Employees
generally remain unaware of these underlying assumptions, yet they play an important role in formulation of core values and visible behaviors.
7. Adobe attracts creative talent, and a young workforce, corporate philanthropy is a very important aspect of their
organizational culture. They also provide free programs that address employee needs like financial counseling,
reimbursement for continuing education and professional development, and lifelong learning perks like paid sabbaticals (for
every five years of service).
With perks such as onsite cafes, yoga classes for employees, and robust family and healthcare benefits, Adobe rewards
loyalty by addressing the core needs of their employee. In a recent survey, 93% of Adobe employees said that they ‘love’
their workplace.
8. Regular team events, like a speed networking event, encourage employees to get to know one another. A
company-wide community for LGBTQ employees is a place for members of those communities to socialize and
have discussions, and several Adobe employees even contributed videos to the popular “It Gets Better”
movement aimed toward LGBTQ teens.
11. “We’re sincere, trustworthy and reliable”
Adobe are sincere about the products they create and the staff they support. Adobe takes time to listen and care for their
staff aiming to be ethical in all that they do.
Integrity is at the heart of Adobe and they take great pride in their commitment to sincerity and honesty. A strict code of
ethics is upheld by senior officers which ensures full, fair and accurate disclosure of information; as well as ample
opportunity for staff to question and report possible violations of these policies.
Though such a large multinational company, Adobe has created a sincere and reliable level of care for the people who work
for them. Holiday pay, medical insurance, retirement plans and education reimbursement are all part of
employment within Adobe. Culture such as Adobe specific sporting teams, onsite organic cafes and healthy living
allowances allows Adobe to continually recognise the contribution of their staff.
The Adobe Life blog exemplifies this, showcasing remarkable staff feats in their field and the community while providing a
humanising platform where employees can connect and receive company news.
13. “We are committed to creating exceptional experiences that delight our employees and
staff”
Adobe was founded on excellence. Since their development, Adobe have been leaders in the field of digital media and
content, creating industry standard programs from day one.
Adobe Research is a manifestation of Adobe’s motivation to being Exceptional. The program works with some of the world’s
best researchers and top University students to develop ideas and investigations that are at the forefront of computer
science.
As well as Adobe Research, Adobe encourages staff potential through constant learning opportunities. Including education
reimbursement, mentorship opportunities, on-demand online courses and leadership development programs.
Accessible training allows staff to continue to reach their full potential and achieve excellence in their field.
Adobe takes time to make sure their brand is always exceptional, fostering a corporate culture that inspires
employees and researchers to strive for excellence.
15. “We are highly creative and strive to connect new ideas with business realties”
Adobe provides staff with endless opportunities to be innovative. They empower their staff to explore new ideas
and provide permission to fail. Through the creation of their award-winning Kickbox program Adobe invests in
their employee’s potential.
Adobe gives any staff member who requests it, a red cardboard box filled with stationary, snacks and
$1,000 prepaid credit card to explore their idea, no questions asked. The man behind the project, Vice
President of Creativity, Mark Randall, describes the initiative as an investment in his people. Around 1,000
employees have taken on the challenge and 23 ideas have already been granted further investment.
The Kickstart box exemplifies Adobe’s core value of Innovation, providing opportunity for company development
by fostering staff’s creative potential.
17. “We are inclusive, open and actively engaged with our customers,
partners, employees and the communities we serve”
Adobe are renowned for their philanthropy and actively encourage company involvement within the community. Matching
employee time and donations to eligible charities and schools as well as contributing products and services to over 15,000
nonprofit organisations around the world.
Adobe provides scholarships and internships to students all over the globe, investing in the next generation of
creatives through programs such as Project 1324 and the Youth Coding Initiative.
Furthermore Adobe promotes inclusivity in everything they do, celebrating a diverse collective of employees. By actively
sponsoring and recruiting within underrepresented minority communities Adobe notes that diversity of ideas, background
and perspectives are one of their most valuable assets.
Adobe’s corporate culture encourages staff and community involvement with world issues through leading by example
and a strong sense of corporate responsibility.
19. “We focus to be as great to work with
As it is to work for”
For years Adobe focused on being a great company to work for and building a strong employee experience. But at the end
of the day, customers actually drive the business, so the company adjusted its focus to be as great to work with as it is to
work for. The two ideas go hand in hand—satisfied and engaged employees are more likely to give their best effort and
represent the brand well, while satisfied customers are happier and easier to work with.
Central to the idea of bringing employees and customers together is to focus on people and make them the core of
the organization’s culture and strategy.
20. Some other Cultural Practices
ADOBE LIFE
To buttress Adobe’s commitment in promoting the lifestyle and quality of corporate culture at the company, events and highlights of the
company’s staff activities are regularly shared using hashtags, #AdobeLife and also published through a magazine. AdobeLife depicts the
human side of the brand while integrating the employee’s personal life with the company.
WORK HARD PLAY HARD
Adobe employees are motivated to achieve outstanding productivity through flexible opportunities for integrating play with their hard work.
Adobe places the need to have fun at the center of its corporate culture in a bid to ease the tension that may be induced by employee’s
desire to meet up with deadlines or discharging job roles as recommended. The slogan is a motivational factor which fetches the quest to do
more into the mind of all employees, having been assured there’s a deserving level of fun to complement every hard work given.
21. Some other Cultural Practices
FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY
Adobe systems do not give in to micromanaging or tracking of employees to ensure they are available during their working hours. Employees
are trusted with the freedom to carry out their responsibilities following the challenges and innovative environment Adobe has already
developed. Hence, discharging credible duties is a cultural practice observed by all the employees.
THE CAREERS WEBSITE
Each of their primary departments has their own sections on the careers website, listing the open roles and providing insight into the
individual team.
THE CHECK IN SYSTEM
In 2012 Adobe did away with the annual performance system which was one of the worst ongoing practice amidst many organizations where
people felt like kids getting graded without a paper and had almost no positive impact. Instead they started a highly valued ‘Check In system’
22.
23. The success achieved by Adobe which is being admired by many
organizations can be seen as a reflection of the company’s
outstanding cultural practices. It’s a message to the growing
companies to insist on solid corporate culture for any campaign to
standout from average to brilliant.
