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CASE STUDY

Scaling with culture: Building strong foundations for rapid tech growth

Following Series A funding, this 40-person tech company was entering a critical growth phase, but without a full-time strategic People lead in place, they needed immediate clarity on where to focus to support rapid hiring, maintain engagement, and protect their culture.

 

Culturehood stepped in as a flexible, embedded partner to identify key priorities, implement scalable people practices, and strengthen their positioning as an employer of choice. In just nine months, the business gained the structure and strategy needed to hire efficiently, retain talent, and grow confidently.

The Challenge

After securing Series A funding, this fast-scaling tech business faced the dual pressure of hiring rapidly to meet growth targets while protecting the strong, values-led culture that had helped them succeed so far.

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Their key challenges included:

  • Hiring at speed without compromising quality. The business lacked the tools and processes to efficiently manage the volume and pace of recruitment.

  • Controlling hiring costs. External agency reliance was high, and the cost-per-hire was unsustainable.

  • Standing out in a competitive talent market. Their employer value proposition (EVP) was underdeveloped, making it harder to attract top-tier candidates.

  • Ensuring new joiners stayed. Without a structured onboarding process, new employees struggled to settle in, affecting early retention.

  • Embedding values into the employee experience. Company values were seen as words on a wall, rather than lived day-to-day.

Industry: FinTech

Team size: 40 plus

Work: PeopleEngage+ Descovery Program and 9 month Retainer

The Solution

Culturehood partnered with the business over a nine-month period to create a scalable people and culture foundation that supported fast growth without losing sight of what made the company great.

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Key initiatives we focused on included:

 

Implementing an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

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We introduced Greenhouse as the applicant tracking system, dramatically improving recruitment processes:

  • Reduced time-to-hire by 32% through structured interview stages, score cards and hiring manager training.

  • Improved candidate experience via consistent, branded communications and interview coordination.

  • Increased direct hires thanks to clearer processes and better visibility of open roles.

 

Defining a fit for purpose and competitive Employer Value Proposition (EVP)

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Together, we created a compelling employer brand aligned to business values and employee expectations:

  • Introduced enhanced parental leave policies,  health and wellness-focused benefits, and a consistent, flexible hybrid working model.

  • Created a consistent external message to help them stand out as an employer of choice, contributing to a 40% increase in inbound applicants.

 

Embedding values into the employee lifecycle

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We ensured company values were lived across every stage of the employee experience:

  • Introduced values into recruitment to support values-based hiring.

  • Regular employee recognition was proactive and linked to values.

  • Values were woven into the onboarding, performance conversations, and internal communications.

This created a shared language and sense of purpose, which was reflected in improved engagement and manager feedback.

Outcome 

At the end of the 9-month engagement, the business had a clear, repeatable hiring process, stronger internal capability, and a cultural infrastructure that could scale. We decreased their time-to-hire and  cost-per-hire​ and saw an uplift in employee engagement survey scores

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Culturehood brought deep experience and operational speed, allowing this tech business to build critical people infrastructure without slowing down growth. By translating values into action and aligning every stage of the employee journey, the company was well-positioned to scale with its culture intact.

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