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from R5.6bn in 2009 to R10.8bn in 2014
in cultural ratings, cycle after cycle, across thousands of employees
highest employee engagement scores out of all Massmart divisions globally
When MassBuild’s leadership confronted stagnating growth and disjointed brands, they recognised that traditional strategy execution was not enough. The business needed unity, not more initiatives.
Over four transformative years, Blueprints worked with MassBuild to co-create a living “Formula for Success”: a company-wide culture system built from the voices of every employee. The process engaged all 7 000 staff members across 67 stores and head-office teams to define ten Enablers (what to do more of) and ten Disablers(what to do less of).
“Winning in the marketplace is our ultimate goal, but unless there is a culture underpinning strategy, Builders will not be successful.” - Llewellyn Walters, CEO.
Each Builders brand saw itself as separate and superior: three cultures, three “right” ways. Managers defended their uniqueness as strength, creating silos and resistance to integration.
Customer research revealed poor service and out-of-stock frustrations. The perception was of elitist pricing and patchy experiences; a retail group known more for range than for reliability
Different head offices and IT systems made cross-brand coordination almost impossible. Even marketing created confusion by advertising all brands simultaneously.
After years of top-down initiatives, staff doubted whether leadership would ever “walk the talk.” Blueprints’ greatest challenge was to convert scepticism into belief—and belief into behaviour.
Monthly competitions rewarded employees displaying top-line Enablers. Each “Formula Card” issued by a manager contributed points toward store and group-wide awards, culminating in substantial annual prizes —up to R60 000 in vouchers. This financial reinforcement signaled that culture was not peripheral, it was the business.
The Home Team Talk magazine featured regular updates on formula
ratings, competitions, and annual themes.
Every year’s theme linked to an icon; Building Success became a
rallying cry.
When Massmart was later acquired by an international retailer, the new parent’s core values aligned seamlessly.
Blueprints mapped the Builders icons directly into these pillars,
proving that the local formula already embodied world-class values.
"The positive effects of the formula on the culture and commitment of the staff reflects in the sales figures, which have kept going up. For a long period, the executive team had to keep the formula alive, but now it has its own momentum. It has become the defining DNA of the business, a living system that drives growth, engagement and consistency every single day."
