Exploring the Meaning Behind Uber’s 14 Cultural Values
Since its inception in 2009, Uber has become one of the most recognizable names in the ride-sharing industry. Its unparalleled innovation and service have revolutionized how people travel globally. Integrating the latest technology, Uber has gone beyond providing just a conventional driving experience.
However, Uber’s success doesn’t solely depend on its cutting-edge technology and business model. The organization has also laid out a set of cultural values that guide its operations. Uber’s cultural values help reinforce its brand equity, ensuring that its purpose remains clear, and its impact remains positive.
Let’s take a deep dive to explore the meaning behind Uber’s 14 cultural values and how they influence the company’s operations.
Uber’s Cultural Values: What are they?
Uber’s cultural values outline the principles that its employees must abide by to maintain the organization’s purpose. These values define the company’s vision, position, and how it responds to challenges. Uber’s Cultural values are encompassed into three categories – community, action, and obsessions.
Community
Uber’s founders understand how vital certain values are for ensuring a collaborative and inclusive culture. Community-based cultural values have a crucial role to play in Uber as well. They are:
1. Make Uber a Welcoming Team
Uber’s inclusive culture is meant to ensure that everyone feels welcome, irrespective of their backgrounds. The company values diversity, and employees are expected to celebrate individual differences and work collaboratively.
2. Celebrate All Our Victories
Uber’s value system signifies that everyone – from drivers, riders to employees, and customers, should celebrate successes and milestones. Celebrating achievements creates a positive and motivating working environment.
3. Build Globally, Support Locally
Uber operates in several countries worldwide, and this value emphasizes leveraging global networks but serving local needs. Uber drives to create unique experiences based on places and communities.
Action
While it’s important to build community-driven culture, action-based values ensure employees stay motivated and innovative. Uber has five action-based cultural values:
4. We Do the Right Thing. Period.
Accountability and transparency are crucial in any business setting. Uber’s value system upholds the notion of doing the right thing, irrespective of any situation.
5. Hustle
Uber employs fast-paced action to deliver its services. This company value champions ‘the hustle,’ encouraging employees to find innovative ways to expand Uber’s reach.
6. Customer Obsessed
To survive and thrive in any industry, it’s indispensable to listen and respond to customers’ needs. Uber’s customer-based value system reinforces the company to be responsive to customer needs at all times.
7. Always Be Learning
Uber places emphasis on continuous learning and improvement for its employees. Employees are encouraged to be inquisitive and continually seek out fresh, innovative solutions.
8. Be Yourself
Uber values employees that bring their genuine selves into the workplace. The company has a culture that allows for diverse personalities and perspectives, enabling all employees to bring their full selves to work.
Obsessions
Uber’s last cultural value set emphasizes focusing on its most essential priorities. Obsessions involve the following:
9. Move Fast, Learn Faster
Uber has a fast-paced company culture – aiming to act quickly and learn faster. The company understands that its success depends on how fast it innovates and implements tech advancements.
10. Second and Third Derivative Thinking
Uber doesn’t only think of the immediate or first derivative impacts of its decisions. Instead, it considers second and third derivative effects of each action and inaction.
11. Always Be Hustlin’
Uber’s company culture champions gritty determination, adaptability, and perseverance. The Uber team is expected to ‘hustle’ relentlessly at all times.
12. Missionaries
From the driver-partners to employees and customers alike, Uber aims to have a tribe of followers who are brand advocates and believe in the company’s mission.
13. Super-Pumped
Uber aims to maintain a work environment that keeps its workforce motivated, excited, and passionate about their roles.
14. Principled Confrontation
Lastly, Uber’s value system emphasizes the need for healthy, transparent, and principled confrontation that leads to constructive criticism, growth, and improvement.
Conclusion
Uber’s 14 cultural values outline the principles that shape its organization. These values guide Uber’s operation, highlight its mission, and what it represents. They have allowed the company to build a powerful brand that resonates with its customers, employees, and other stakeholders. By adhering to these 14 cultural values, Uber remains motivated, innovative, and aims to foster meaningful partnerships with its driver-partners, employees, and customers.
