Culture as Competitive Advantage : How Dijital Team Built a High-Growth Startup

Dijital Team made a strong impression at the recent Best Workplaces™ in Technology Learning Forum, demonstrating how a deliberately built high-trust, high-performance culture is driving sustained growth, innovation, and long-term competitive advantage.

Leaders Peter Ward, Nithya Subramaniam, and Irshad Hussain highlighted how their culture-first philosophy, anchored in trust, transparency, and continuous improvement, shapes both people and performance.

Founded just two years ago, the company was built on a simple belief: take care of the people who delight the customer.

As People and Culture Manager Nithya Subramaniam explained, this principle guides every decision, from hiring to leadership. From the outset, candidates experience honesty and clarity.

As Irshad Hussain noted, there are no polished pitches, only direct conversations and radical transparency, making trust their most authentic differentiator.

This clarity has fueled rapid growth. In just two years, Dijital Team has scaled to 200 employees, not through aggressive hiring, but by fostering a genuine sense of belonging, purpose, and opportunity.

Employees aren’t just joining a company; they are building careers within a community that values growth.

Recognition has further strengthened this momentum. Being named among the Best Workplaces™ in Technology and for Young Talent, alongside Great Place To Work® Certification™, has elevated the employer brand.

As Managing Director Peter Ward shared, this has improved both the volume and quality of applicants, shifting recruitment from “convincing to attracting,” with candidates already aligned to the company’s values.

Operationally, the company focuses on outcomes over hours, enabling flexible work across time zones.

This is supported by strong investment in learning, from certifications and coaching to speech-craft sessions and an accessible LMS.

Development is personalized, ensuring continuous progress. As Nithya noted, the link between people and performance is by design.

A mindset of continuous improvement is central, guided by the principle of “1% better every day.”

Employees are encouraged to take ownership, reflect openly, and improve, fostering psychological safety and stronger performance over time.

Listening to employees is a powerful lever to fine-tune strategy and practice.

Through Great Place To Work’s Trust Index™ Employee Experience survey, Dijital Team captures authentic, anonymous feedback to turn insights into action and based on this turn employees into ambassadors who validate the culture through their own genuine stories.

As Peter Ward highlighted, “working with Great Place To Work has given us a clear benchmark and language to keep improving, but more importantly, it has validated that when you genuinely invest in your people, it shows up in every part of your business—from retention to recruitment to customer outcomes."

Two years in, Dijital Team offers a clear lesson: culture is not intangible, it is a powerful business driver and competitive advantage.

In a rapidly evolving industry, their success is anchored in people who feel seen, heard, and empowered to do their best work.

Photo caption - Dijital Team presenting their insights at the Best Workplaces™ in Technology Learning Forum.