Terroir…A French concept and word that most wine enthusiasts know well.
Terroir can explain why no two wines taste exactly alike. Even wines from the very same vineyard will vary from one year to the next.
To the winemaker, Terroir (ter-wahr) describes the soil, microclimate, sunlight angles, and all of the other elements that affect a crop of grapes. Terroir can even include the winemaking process i.e. the barrels chosen for storage when the grapes are picked and some even say that the mood of those picking the grapes has an impact!
Your company has its own terroir, conceptually similar to that of a vineyard. Exploring your company’s terroir starts with considering the factors that shape your culture.
Some of the high-level elements of your terroir may include:
• What is the leadership’s background and values?
• What is the location and size of your company?
• Is the workforce remote or local?
• What is the age, ethnicity, and language diversity of the employees?
The minute details of company life are perhaps equally important and may include:
• Do most of your employees have children?
• Does the staff enjoy sports?
• What is the office dress code? Does it matter with Zoom meetings?
• Do the employees socialize outside of the workplace?
• Are there holiday/summer parties?
The list is endless and certainly, no two cultures of any two companies in the world are alike. What makes yours unique? How do you describe your culture to a potential new employee? What do you want them to experience? What will they be part of when they join your team? How will they grow?
What kind of experience for employees and customers will your cultural terroir produce?

- What is the leadership’s background, values and aspirations?
- What is the location and size of your company?
- Is the workforce remote or local?
- What is the age, ethnicity and language diversity of the employees?
- Do most of your employees have children?
- Does the staff enjoy sports?
- What is the office dress code? Does it matter with Zoom meetings?
- Do the employees socialize outside of the workplace?
- Are there holiday/summer parties?