How Flobotics Built Their Company Values? [Company Culture Case Study]

In the fast-paced world of tech, it’s easy to become consumed by KPIs and quarterly reports. However, at Flobotics, we took A LOT OF TIME to discuss something that powers our rocketship from within – our core values. Similar to updating software, we believe in refining the principles that drive our collective engine.

For us, values are not just dry sentences or empty slogans. They are tangible instructions, alive in our emails, coffee chats, company trips, and projects. In their description, we aim to capture and preserve this authenticity as faithfully as possible.

Our values shape how we collaborate and deliver outstanding outcomes to our Clients and Partners. They are not imposed by the leadership but created organically by our entire team. They serve as a compass for right actions and informed decision-making. 

Here is the story of how we created them and what we achieved as a result.

Creating our Fresh FloboValues was an extensive, collaborative project with multiple steps, and the whole company engaged.

The process began with heartfelt one-on-one conversations with each employee to gather diverse perspectives on our company’s values and culture.

The People & Culture team conducted these interviews to gather diverse perspectives on what attracts people to Flobotics, what makes them want to work here, what’s essential to the culture, what’s unique, and what they love about Flobotics. The team also asked about areas that could be improved and what is unacceptable in the company.

Here are some questions we asked:

• What in Flobotics has helped me improve myself?
• What rules, attitudes, etc., should exist and do not exist?
• What positive aspects of Flobotics do I consider when talking about work? 
• What attracts people to Flobotics?
• What keeps you here?
• If you could change one thing about Flobotics, what would it be?

The insights gathered during these conversations were compiled into a collection of quotes. We transcribed them, selected all the meaningful quotes, printed them, and cut them down into little pieces of paper. We ended up with hundreds of quotes!

The next step was inviting all the employees to a four-day company retreat fully dedicated to one goal – creating values together. The retreat occurred in the picturesque Polish Lake District, where we engaged in a highly creative values workshop. 

The fuel of the workshop was the very cards with quotes!

We divided the quotes into categories to identify the most important values and then split them into categories to discuss them. At first glance, it was already quite clear what values were the most important for the team—these categories had the most quotes.

Our discussions led to a deeper understanding of how we perceive specific values and how they resonate in our day-to-day culture. We worked together to determine what we want to embody as a team, what drives our growth, and why we value the Flobotics work environment. 

To make our activities more engaging, we organized brainstorming sessions in smaller groups, created visual posters, and presented our ideas to the whole group through humorous skits. We also openly shared our feelings and had lively discussions filled with laughter and emotion.

The workshop lasted eight hours, and we ended up with a draft list of nine values with additional information on how Floboticans understand them.

After identifying the most important values and their relevant elements to our culture, the next objective was to synthesize them, unify, and refine the language used to describe them so they were understandable and contained all the aspects important to the Floboticans. 

This happened back in the office and was taken care of by the CEO, Communication Team, and People & Change team.

During two three-hour workshops, we carefully reviewed each value and created the first version of the values.

After the first version of values was ready, we actively solicited feedback from all the team members.

We presented the values during a series of small-team workshops. We discussed each value, asking Floboticans what they thought about how they were phrased and how they understood them.

Then, we worked on the collected feedback and looked at what was recurring in people’s opinions. Checking how people understood what we had created was key for us. We wanted to ensure the entire team was on board with what we were creating. This was a challenging task, as we had to navigate an enormous amount of information and collective input to arrive at a shared vision.

This process had few iterations. At every step, the feedback from the team was crucial!

Finally, we ended up with eight Core Values, reflecting our team’s beliefs and aspirations that were ready to present to the team.

There are eight core values in total – not one above the other, each equally pivotal and forming the essence of the Flobotics culture. The way we work, communicate, and the quality we’re known for would fundamentally change if even one of these values were missing from our daily practice.

FOSTER FRIENDSHIP AND CREATE SAFE SPACES. Treat peers as you would your own friends. Remember that collaboration, inclusion, and safety are the pillars on which Flobofriendship is born.

At the heart of Flobotics is friendship – it’s where our story began, with the bond between two buddies, Filip and Karol, who turned their camaraderie into a thriving business. Every team member who joins us gets a taste of this genuine, friendly culture. It’s not about forced friendships or cheesy team-building exercises; it’s about creating a space where everyone feels comfortable, supported, and fired up to collaborate.

• For us, small talk is… a big talk. :) We always start the meetings with a few minutes of random chat or ask a specific, funny question, such as, “If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life on a desert island, what would it be?”
• On Wednesdays we have Office Day – necessarily with a shared lunch!
• 2 times per year, we organize a company-wide retreat for all employers.
• We also organize monthly local hang-outs in Warsaw: bowling, escape rooms, themed parties, board nights, painting with wine, cooking together, and much more :)
• We have special channels on Slack for Remote workers to give them space to talk and feel included. 
• We invite people from outside Warsaw to visit us. Before their arrival, we plan the integration, take care of the common time in the office, and finance a few days’ stay.
• If someone needs personal help, there is always someone to take care of the dog, water the flowers, or help fold the closet. Even outside working hours, we are there for each other!

DO WORK THAT SATISFIES EVERYONE INVOLVED. Aim to create “WOW” moments for Clients, but not at the cost of your professional satisfaction. Be business-oriented and budget-aware to strike a healthy balance between value and cost.

At Flobotics, delivering quality isn’t just about meeting expectations; it’s about setting the industry standard. Our approach is that done is better than perfect.
We understand that quality is not just about creating the perfect product but also about ensuring that it doesn’t burden our customers unnecessarily.
For us, quality is not only the quality of the product but also a qualitative approach to the customer’s budget.

When you ask our team about the level of quality within our ranks, there’s a unanimous consensus: everyone is committed to excellence in their area of work.

• We aim to achieve customer delight while ensuring our developers feel accomplished.
• We do not sugarcoat our services. We focus on delivering practical solutions with real business value, always with an eye on the client’s budget and core needs.
• When we hand over the project, we transfer knowledge and accurate documentation to make everything 100% understandable and usable.
• We personalize our approach by matching projects to our developers’ strengths, ensuring high-quality work and team satisfaction.
• Our goal is to deliver the product on time. We do not work on it endlessly, correcting irrelevant details.
• We never take on projects that don’t provide a return on investment for the Client.
• We go the extra mile to make clients say, “WOW.”

HAVE THE COURAGE TO THINK, SPEAK AND ACT. Encourage thinking outside the box and speaking out loud – especially if you see a problem. Value proactivity and risk-taking in the pursuit of better solutions. Don’t just follow – lead by example and empower others.

At Flobotics, courage isn’t just a statement – it’s a core part of our culture.

Embracing a bold spirit of openness, our team members are unafraid to speak their minds and actively encouraged to do so. 

We foster a climate of creativity and bold action by championing dissent, accountability, and thoughtful risk-taking. We never blame but appreciate honesty, openness, and attempts to experiment, even if they are unsuccessful.

• We never punish for ideas, even the most ridiculous ones. Quirky and offbeat ideas are the staples of our brainstorming. 
• No idea is static. Every proposal has room to be debated, revisited, and refined, embodying our company’s dynamic spirit.
• By asking tough and unusual questions, we push our thinking beyond the norm, sparking lively discussions that drive innovation.
• Our flat hierarchy ensures that every team member has the right to present new ideas, suggest solutions, or contribute to discussions without fear of rank.
• When an idea is proposed, it’s given thoughtful consideration, not dismissed without merit.
• We actively provide opportunities for sharing ideas and receiving feedback, such as Gallup meetings and 360 feedback sessions.

OVER COMMUNICATE TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE CLEARLY. Be thorough and aim for complete transparency. Avoid assumptions — ask questions and repeat yourself if necessary. Always ensure mutual understanding and speak love when people do valuable things!

At Flobotics, we firmly believe that assumptions are the enemy of clarity. Guessing can often lead to misunderstanding—a risk we simply cannot afford in our collaborative environment. That’s why we’ve wholeheartedly embraced the principle of over-communication: the belief that it’s always better to share too much information than too little. Most importantly, we always credit others’ work, so no one has to guess if they did well!

• We overcommunicate, always providing as much context as possible in project briefs and tasks, and hide nothing!
• We conduct town hall meetings once a month, during which everyone can ask about anything company-related. Tough questions are welcome!
• We try to keep communication in existing open Slack channels – and not to create chats among specific users and play Chinese whispers.
• If something isn’t working, we speak up. We believe you’re an accomplice if you see a problem and don’t report it.
• We don’t just hand off projects or instructions; we take the time to ensure the recipient has a clear understanding before moving forward.
• Our #kudos channel on Slack appreciates each other’s work. No good work is left unnoticed!
• Don’t assume! No question is stupid if you are not sure.
• Everyone at Flobotics receives direct feedback, regardless of role or position. Our flat structure isn’t just a theory—the feedback goes from the bottom up and vice versa.

ENCOURAGE AND PRESUME GOOD INTENTIONS. Trust your colleagues’ positive intentions. Embrace diverse perspectives. Consistently consider individuals’ varying levels of knowledge, skills, contexts, mindsets, and emotional states.

At Flobotics, we appreciate the unique blend of knowledge, sensitivity, and personal experiences each team member brings to the table. Our aim is to create an environment where everyone can thrive professionally on their own terms.

We believe in the positive intentions behind every action and place great trust in one another. This philosophy extends to how we communicate and deliver feedback—always with empathy and recognition of individuality.

• We regularly examine our employees’ satisfaction levels with the Gallup survey. This is one of our key company metrics!
• We prioritize well-being and frequently inquire about it.
• If someone posts on Slack about feeling bad, it’s okay and no one will judge.
• We don’t monitor productivity – we trust that our employees do their jobs and deliver.
• We offer psychological support for people in psychological crisis.
• We don’t get upset at the knowledge gap – quite the opposite. We understand it and educate each other (with the patience of a saint ;)).
• Negative feedback does not exist for us – it is only constructive.
• The People & Culture team arranges coffee meetings with colleagues, both in-office and remote, to check in on their well-being and needs.
• Gallup meetings are a safe space to share about well-being, satisfaction, and needs. We listen carefully and work towards improvement.

EMBRACE CHANGE AND PURSUE GROWTH. Achieve excellence through iterations. Practice self-reflectiveness, care about each other’s development, and never stop providing feedback – it is a gift that makes us better. Be the agent of change – always perceive it as a growth opportunity!

Flobotics is all about riding the waves of change. Adapting to the shifting market landscape, new requirements, and new faces in the team that bring fresh perspectives – there are no two identical days with us!
We acknowledge that one of our most crucial aspects is growth – which is impossible without change. We believe that creative chaos is a driving force for progress.

• We run a FloboAdvisory program that provides personalized support and guidance. Each developer is paired with a dedicated advisor, creating a nurturing environment for personal and professional growth. Advisors conduct regular one-on-one meetings, design unique development roadmaps, and analyze competency maps to ensure targeted skill development and career progression.
• We work in Agile methodology. Nothing is perfect from Day One. We work in iterations, constantly improving our work and projects. 
• We encourage experimentation, testing, and retesting as part of our daily work. 
• We regularly plan Feedback Months, an initiative focused on improving feedback skills. Through workshops, we aim to enhance our understanding and application of feedback.
• We regularly conduct evaluations and analyze our progress to ensure continuous development.
• We believe in sharing knowledge, and to support knowledge acquisition, we offer a library of recommended books and courses for purchase.
• We guarantee that our developers receive developer certifications while working with us.
• We collaborate on a shared FloboWiki – which is our knowledge base. In ClickUp, we created a dedicated space with guidelines and articles on how to use various tools, track time on projects, what rules we have for online meetings, how to issue invoices, and much more. If you are looking for something about Flobotics operations – you will find everything in one place :)

TAKE CHARGE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE – YOUR WAY. Be accountable for your actions and deliver what you promise, regardless of your methods and geographical location. Adopt flexibility to have the biggest impact on projects, people, and communities.

At our core, we embrace the notion that personal responsibility enhances agency and independence, leading to higher work quality and team well-being. We empower each team member to be accountable for their actions and projects, fostering a positive and productive workplace culture.

• We embrace remote! Whether you’re dialing in from the sunny beaches of Spain or the vibrant streets of Brazil, the location is up to you as long as the work gets done and you’re present for meetings.
• Our standard practices include flexible work schedules and support for regular “workations” to balance work and play.
• Every task, project, or initiative has a clearly defined owner.
• We champion the idea that taking responsibility is more than an obligation— an opportunity to enhance personal agency and drive.
• If you can improve something – do it! – It’s our essential principle.
• We do not dictate a work style but rather offer guidance for improvement.
• Our priority is the outcome achieved, not the process used to get there.

WHATEVER YOU DO – HAVE FUN! Recognize that fun fuels motivation, workplace satisfaction, and delivering outstanding results. Never dismiss it as a waste of time – this is how we learn, grow, and discover the world around us.

At Flobotics, we firmly believe that blending work with fun is the key to unlocking creativity and enhancing our understanding of the world. Just as children learn through play in a sandbox, we also explore, play, and discover the intricacies of our environment through joyful interactions. 

• Our work is more than mundane tasks and coding; it’s about joyful relationships, shared laughs, outings, parties, and unlimited breaks. We make time for it all, so we deliver our work well.
• Our meetings, brainstorming sessions, and workshops must have a fun element— a silly warm-up question, relaxed chitchat, or free donuts for improving brain functions ;)
• We regularly organize team-building trips and outings.
• Every team meeting is a celebration! We party like friends, not just co-workers, and create an atmosphere that is impossible to replicate.
• We’re looking to make Wednesdays at the office more enjoyable with fresh croissants, popcorn breaks, Caesar salads, juice cocktails, and more. Fun is always on the menu!
• The walls in our office hold a wealth of cherished memories – a lot of documented fun!
• In addition to company-organized meetings, we brainstorm last-minute hangout ideas on our Slack #flobofun channel, such as hiking, silent disco, and movie nights (there are endless ideas!)
• On Fridays, we have a dedicated calendar slots for playing games :) Our favorite one is creating memes – the best of which proudly adorn the walls of our office.

The process of introducing values to our company went beyond simply posting them on our website. We implemented each value gradually, one by one, by announcing them at our Friday sum ups.

Each value presentation included an introduction and a contest announcement, allowing employees to participate for a week. Afterward, we held a voting session to select the best contest response, and the winner received a prize related to the contest theme.

We wanted to ensure that the values were not just presented in a dry manner but actually lived within the company. To do this, we organized various contests such as a photo competition for the “Friendship” value, a dish contest representing “Smart Quality, or a contest asking for a character that best represents “Courage.” We also held a group competition for “Clear Communication,” which was instruction for soft-boiling an egg as precisely as possible :) 

By presenting the values individually over time and incorporating fun contests, we aimed to enhance memorization, understanding, and practical application of the values.

For the final value, “Flobofun,” we timed the announcement to coincide with another of our company retreats. This allowed us to combine the value announcement with workshops and, of course – good fun ;)

In addition to announcements at meetings, all our activities were regularly shared on a dedicated Slack channel, creating a space for discussion and observation exchanges. All these activities were designed to put the values into practice and integrate them into the company’s everyday thinking and operations.

We really went the extra mile in creating Flobotics values. We are quite happy with the result, and we see that the values actually live within the company.

Want to achieve the same with your team? Here are some best tips that, in our view, can contribute to your success.

1. If you want to introduce values to your company, do not let a single individual or a narrow group create it. Engage the entire company, making everyone feel important, that their voice counts, and that they can even contribute to building something big. 
2. It is best to introduce developed values in stages. Each stage requires much work, patience, and feedback gathering.
3. Focus on fun, a loose form of discussing values, and creativity. 
4. Do not be afraid of change. Values live and change with the company and will never be 100% perfect. 

Do not expect perfection. Prepared values are better released earlier and gathered feedback from the company, based on which they can be gradually improved. Sometimes, too-long implementation of changes can make employees forget what they worked out at workshops and the idea behind creating values.

The values at Flobotics are more than a backdrop – they are a compass for our everyday actions. They’re not just framed concepts; they’re the principles that animate our daily work and define us as a company. Our commitment to these values makes Flobotics not just a workplace but a thriving community where people come first, and excellence is a shared journey.

And if our values resonate with you, why not jump on board and grow with us?

Let’s make great things happen together!