Fostering a Democratic Decision-Making Process at Cygni

Amanda Modigh -

When Cygni was established in 2006, it was stated from the start that a democratic decision process was the name of the game, and every voice matters regardless of your job position or how long you’ve been with the company.

Since then we've always made it a priority to listen to each other's thoughts and to give our team members the power to make things happen. As Cygni has grown from a cozy 10 to a bustling 250 employees, giving everyone a voice when it comes to making decisions has taken on even more importance. At Cygni, we make decisions together.

Encouraging opinions and feedback

To ensure that everyone has a platform to be heard, various measures have been implemented along the way that empower our team members to actively participate in shaping their work experiences.

In the end it's a win-win situation for both our team members and the company. On the one hand, employees experience the rewarding feeling of witnessing their raised concerns leading to real changes. On the other hand, the company keeps progressing and getting better.

Here are some ways Cygni employees can contribute with their opinions:

  • Inclusive conferences: Our conferences are designed to provide opportunities for everyone to voice their opinions and ideas.
  • Feedback: We actively seek feedback from employees through feedback forms after events and other happenings.
  • 24/7 Suggestion box: To encourage open feedback, we provide a channel for employees to share their thoughts and suggestions through a form on our internal website.
  • One-on-One’s: Regular meetings and one-on-one’s with the consultant managers create spaces for dialogue, letting employees express their thoughts and concerns in a safe environment.
  • The manager’s handbook: Our manager's handbook is a result of input from our consultants, allowing them to contribute to defining the qualities they seek in their managers.
  • Inclusive decision-making: Employees are involved in various councils and groups, making sure their voices are represented in important decisions that shape the company. Take the case of our Stockholm office move: A diverse group of individuals, spanning different job roles, ages, and backgrounds, came together to shape the office's look, ambiance, and color palette together.

While we always strive to maintain an inclusive and democratic approach, certain situations require efficient decision-making. From time to time critical business decisions have to be made where the entire company's input may not be feasible.

How Cygni employees can impact their day to day work

Having the power to shape your everyday tasks and the assurance that your opinions are always welcome in the workplace – this goes beyond just your individual tasks, extending to the entire company's operations. We believe that it empowers our employees, granting them a valuable sense of influence over the workplace they've chosen to be a part of.

This mindset is an essential part of our DNA at Cygni, and it contributes to our reputation as a great place to work. It has also proven to be an efficient, fun and inclusive approach to make important decisions.

There are a number of ways that Cygni employees can influence their work life:

  • Having a say in what work group and team leader they would like to belong to: At Cygni, employees have the opportunity to select their own team leader, allowing for a more personalized and collaborative working relationship.
  • Individual competence planning: Each employee has the freedom to design their own individual competence plan, and tailor their professional development and upskilling to align with their personal goals and aspirations as well as matching market expectations.
  • Embracing a strong feedback culture: Open and honest communication is valued at Cygni. Our employees are encouraged to speak their minds and provide feedback.
  • Providing the right tools: Being a company in the tech industry, we feel it is important to be able to ensure that our employees have the necessary work tools and resources, and they can themself influence what type of tool that suits their needs best.
  • Shaping their own assignments: Employees have the ability to influence their own assignments, allowing them to work on projects and with customers that align with their interests and personal preferences.

Moving forward

As we move forward, we will remain committed to fostering a democratic decision-making process that creates a thriving work environment where everyone's input is valued and respected throughout the organization.

We have outgrown the notion that whoever comes up with an idea has to go at it alone to bring it to life. What matters is listening to the opinions and perspectives before assigning tasks to the appropriate workforce. That way, we can make sure the right folks are leading the change, whether it's a whole team or a couple of enthusiastic individuals.

Our core belief is steadfast: the power of shared decision-making is what sets Cygni apart as an exceptional workplace.