Comparing company personalities using our twelve topic Culture framework reveals the strengths and weaknesses of company cultural behaviours and their employee value drivers. Enjoy release nine of our Head to Head series for CultureExperts
Visa: More Work-life balance
Mastercard: More Purpose, D&I, Collaborative, Supportive, Progressive, Agile, Career Progression, Workplace Technology
Key Observations and Analysis
Cultural Behaviours
- Agility & Bureaucracy
Visa scores -79.3%, while Mastercard scores -68.0%. These negative scores suggest that employees in both companies perceive a high level of bureaucracy that impacts agility, with Visa showing a more significant gap. Reducing bureaucratic constraints could improve operational efficiency and adaptability, helping both organizations respond to the fast-paced changes in the financial technology sector. - Empowered
Visa has a score of -24.3%, while Mastercard is slightly better at -23.1%. Both scores are negative, indicating that employees feel limited in their autonomy. Improving empowerment by granting employees more decision-making authority and influence could enhance engagement and motivation within both companies. - Progressive
Visa scores -62.5%, while Mastercard is notably higher at -26.8%. These scores suggest that Visa employees feel the company lacks a forward-thinking culture, while Mastercard is perceived as slightly more progressive. Emphasizing innovation and adaptability could help Visa better align with employee expectations for a progressive work environment, particularly in a tech-driven industry. - Diversity & Inclusion (D&I)
Visa has a score of -1.7%, whereas Mastercard scores +43.5%. Mastercard’s positive score indicates a strong perception of inclusivity within the organization, whereas Visa’s score suggests a neutral or slightly negative perception. Strengthening D&I initiatives at Visa could improve workplace morale and attract a broader talent pool, as diversity and inclusion remain critical values in today’s workforce. - Collaborative
Visa scores +15.4%, with Mastercard slightly higher at +17.4%. Both companies have positive scores, indicating that employees generally perceive their workplaces as collaborative. Mastercard’s marginally higher score suggests it may have more effective frameworks for teamwork, an asset in cross-functional projects and innovation. - Supportive
Visa has a score of -11.6%, while Mastercard is closer to neutral at -3.3%. These scores indicate that both companies could improve in providing support to employees, though Mastercard is perceived somewhat more favorably. Implementing stronger support structures, such as mentorship programs and accessible leadership, could help both organizations improve employee well-being and morale.
Employee Value Drivers
- Purpose
Visa scores -39.0%, while Mastercard scores higher at -19.2%. These negative scores suggest that employees in both companies feel a moderate disconnect from the organization’s mission, though Visa’s gap is more pronounced. Improving purpose alignment by clearly communicating the organization’s values and societal impact could foster a stronger sense of motivation among employees. - Work-Life Balance
Visa scores +44.4%, with Mastercard slightly lower at +40.9%. Both companies have positive scores, indicating that employees are generally satisfied with work-life balance. This is an appealing aspect of the employee value proposition, as work-life balance remains a priority for many professionals. - Learning & Development
Mastercard scores +58.3%, marginally ahead of Visa’s +56.9%. Both companies have strong positive scores, indicating that employees value the learning and development opportunities provided. Maintaining and enhancing these programs could be beneficial for retaining and attracting talent in the competitive financial technology industry. - Career Progression
Visa has a score of -60.2%, while Mastercard is significantly better at -20.0%. These scores reflect dissatisfaction with career progression, particularly at Visa. Improving transparency in promotion criteria and providing structured advancement pathways could help both companies retain talent and enhance employee motivation. - Pay & Rewards
Visa scores +37.9%, while Mastercard is slightly higher at +38.1%. Both scores are positive, suggesting that employees are generally satisfied with compensation. Competitive pay and rewards are crucial for attracting and retaining talent, especially in a high-demand industry. - Tech in Workplace
Visa scores -18.7%, while Mastercard scores slightly better at -4.9%. These negative scores indicate that employees may feel the technology and digital tools could be improved, especially at Visa. Investing in updated technology could support productivity and employee satisfaction, aligning with the industry’s digital-first focus.
Summary
In summary, Mastercard demonstrates strengths in diversity and inclusion (+43.5%) and career progression (less negative at -20.0%), while Visa shows relative strengths in work-life balance (+44.4%) and learning and development (+56.9%). Both companies could benefit from improvements in agility, purpose alignment, and support structures to enhance overall employee engagement and satisfaction.
This analysis highlights key areas where Visa and Mastercard can focus their efforts to strengthen employee satisfaction and retention in a competitive and innovation-driven sector.
Ready to Benchmark Culture
Interested in Culture Intelligence and key questions like:
- What makes one Culture more effective than another?
- Does one Cultural personality have more success in the long run and short run? Is a company personality like the signature of the management?
In this series, we explore different Company personalities and how they compare.
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