What Makes a Good Company Culture? How Dakota Sets Itself Apart

If you’ve ever left a job or spent any time on LinkedIn, chances are you’ve probably heard that “people don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad managers.”

You know the posts, they’re usually in a dramatic font with a whole host of poor management qualities beneath it designed to have you nodding along.  

Posts like this have been made so often that by now it’s become something of a cliche. And while the sentiment is true to an extent, bad managers are often not the entire problem, but a symptom of something bigger. The broader culture within a workplace allows that bad management style to exist and persist, which leads to employee unhappiness and turnover. 

So while it might be that terrible, micromanaging boss that’s making you crazy every day, the one inspiring you to look on LinkedIn and Indeed every night, chances are the problem goes deeper than that.

Now, in the time of the “great resignation,” it’s more important than ever that companies address their deeper, cultural problems. In fact, it’s crucial that they do so, or they’ll continue to struggle to retain their current employees and recruit new ones. 

As someone who has done her fair share of job-hopping over the last few years, I can say that it’s almost always something deeper than just a bad manager. It’s the way you feel while you’re at work, even — especially — if it’s a remote workplace. 

In this article, I’m going to outline some of the key things that make Dakota’s culture stand out, along with some of the benefits of starting your career in a place with a hard-charging, positive, entrepreneurial mindset. 

By the end of the article, you’ll have a better sense of what makes a company culture — spoiler, it’s more than just your manager — and whether a place like Dakota could be a good fit for you. 

What makes a good company culture?

What people look for in a company culture can certainly vary depending on their needs, but Great Places to Work boils it down to just six things:

• Community
• Fairness
• Trustworthy management
• Innovation
• Trust
• Caring

In July of 2021, Dakota was named a Great Place to Work, and after nearly two years, I can say that we do tick all of these boxes. 

What sets Dakota apart

Since 2006, Dakota has been a small team of investment sales professionals helping boutique firms raise funds. Since then, they’ve grown from a team of five to a team of nearly forty, and added a software business to the mix as well. What’s different? That same team from 2006 is still intact. 

Dakota’s culture

• Dakota was founded with one thing in mind: people come here to grow their careers. At Dakota, there are no ceilings.
• We believe that if we focus on growing our teammates, everything else will take care of itself. 
• There’s a strict  “no a-holes” policy at Dakota: Our culture is strong and runs deep, and any bad behavior is stomped out immediately. There is a zero-tolerance policy for bad, rude behavior. 
• We’re not just a company, but a community of amazing people with a growth mindset. 
• We believe in energy, passion, growth, and fun
• We believe work has to be fun, and that means working with interesting people on exciting projects and creating innovative things. 
• We encourage you to throw your hat over the wall
• Dakota Gives: We’re involved in the community, giving back to the city we’re working and living in.
• Our goal is to help you get what you want out of life. 
• We have a growth mindset
• There’s an aspect of cool in all that we do. 
• There’s no T&E policy, and no vacation policy: take the time you need. 
• We believe that work can wait, family can’t. 
• Dakota is about its people, there are no ceilings and everyone can grow their career. 
• There is an invigorating office environment that includes cool design, cool swag, coffee and snacks

Is Dakota a fit for you?

If you…

• Have lots of energy
• Love to serve 
• Love to work hard
• Love to have fun

Dakota is the place for you. 

Learn more about what it's like to work at Dakota in the video below, or view our open job opportunities.