Video summary

BFest 5 Soft-Skill: Buidling Culture, Living the Work Ethic

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main Ideas and Lessons Conveyed

1) Purpose and Context of the Seminar

  • This event is part of the BINUS Festival Karya Seminar Series (May 5–7, 2026).
  • The focus is career preparation and learning directly from professionals across industries.
  • The session topic centers on building company culture and living the work ethic.

2) Core Concept: What “Company Culture” Is and Why It Matters

Definition (How Culture Is Formed)

  • Company culture refers to the characters, habits, and ways of behaving in a company.
  • It is influenced by societal customs in Indonesia, including Indonesian culture and laws.
  • Culture shows up in everyday practices, such as:
    • How people talk to each other
    • How superiors treat the team
    • How employees treat fellow employees
    • How problems are solved
    • The daily work atmosphere
  • Culture is often unwritten, but its effects are clearly felt.

Why Culture Is Important

Healthy culture can lead to:

  • Higher comfort at work
  • Greater enthusiasm
  • Higher productivity

It also supports employee engagement, because workplace reality differs for individuals, for example:

  • Some like colleagues but not the boss
  • Some like salary but not the team/culture
  • Some like everything except culture

Additionally, culture strengthens teamwork, helping the company reach goals faster and with better results. When employees are satisfied, companies can achieve targets sooner; satisfaction supports loyalty and better contribution.

Culture Is Shaped by Both Sides

Culture is formed through the combination of:

  • Company rules/regulations
  • Employee support and behavior

Rules without people won’t work—employee buy-in makes culture effective.

3) Work Ethic: The “Attitude and Behavior” at Work

Definition

  • Work ethic is the attitude and behavior at work.
  • The seminar emphasized that:
    • Work ethic matters even more than raw smartness (e.g., GPA)
    • Attitude often outweighs skill in the workplace

Examples of Work Ethic Traits

  • Discipline
  • Responsibility
  • Honesty
  • Consistency

Characteristics of a Good Work Ethic (Practical Examples)

  • Arrive on time
    • Punctuality shows respect and responsibility to the job/company.
  • Be responsible for tasks
    • Mistakes can happen while learning; the key is to:
      • Admit mistakes
      • Correct mistakes
      • Continue learning until responsibilities feel easier over time
  • Want to learn and develop
    • The world of work keeps changing.
    • Learning is bidirectional: the company learns from employees, and employees learn from the company.
  • Respect coworkers
    • Even when coworkers aren’t perfect, collaboration improves group progress.

Professional Communication as a Differentiator

  • Transitioning from school to professional life changes communication expectations:
    • Greater professionalism is required (reducing jokes that undermine seriousness, especially when presenting information or following regulations).
  • Clear communication is positioned as a key professional skill.

4) Relationship Between Culture and Work Ethic

  • Culture and work ethic are interconnected:
    • Company culture shapes employee behavior
    • Employee behavior reshapes culture
  • Even with regulations in place, goals won’t be achieved if employees refuse to follow them.
  • A positive culture requires positive employee practice—not only top-down rules.

5) Examples of Positive Workplace Culture (As Described)

  • Mutual respect
    • Employees come from diverse backgrounds; respect differences.
  • Open, two-way communication
    • Encourage sharing ideas/opinions without fear.
    • Fresh input helps improve the system.
  • Culture of appreciation
    • Appreciation applies to both small and big achievements.
    • Basic behaviors include:
      • Saying thank you
      • Being willing to say sorry
    • Recognition systems can be used (example mentioned: collecting “STEM” points for vouchers).
  • Teamwork and collaboration
    • Compete in a positive way rather than destructively.
    • Team goals and company goals matter, not only personal KPI.

6) Challenges Faced by Aspiring Professionals (Career Reality)

The speaker highlights common workplace challenges:

  • Generation gap / character differences
    • Different expectations and communication styles can emerge when generations mix.
  • Lack of communication / miscommunication
    • Many problems come from misunderstanding more than from inability to work.
  • Work pressure
    • Deadlines and job responsibilities create pressure (also present in campus life).
    • The emphasis is on managing pressure constructively.
  • Adaptation to change
    • Companies change quickly; employees must stay flexible.
    • Example: hospitality requires adapting to guest expectations and cultures.

7) Guidance on Leadership, Integrity, and Maintaining Values

  • You don’t need a formal title to be a leader-by-example.
  • Healthy culture requires communication that is:
    • Clear
    • Directed
    • Open
  • Employees should align with company values and regulations.
  • Appreciation should be given to teams.
  • Integrity is strongly emphasized, including:
    • Rejection/discipline for cheating (connected to BINUS academic culture)

Advice for aspiring professionals:

  • Clarify goals and values
  • Build discipline in small things (time, tasks, commitments)
  • Be brave to contribute and collaborate (join committees/campus activities)
  • Keep learning, adapting, and maintaining integrity

Methodology / Instruction-Like Content (Detailed)

A) How Participants Could Support Event Requirements (SAT Points)

  • For online friends (Zoom):
    • Rename the Zoom account using the format “name”.
    • Keep the microphone muted when in mute position.
    • Submit questions via chat; optionally use raise hand for open mic.
  • To claim SAT Points (online/on-site/YouTube Live):
    • Fill in the clock-in attendance form at the beginning.
    • Join during the session.
    • Fill in the evaluation form at the end.
    • When filling forms, write the letter/character “N” correctly, because wrong input may prevent SAT processing.

B) How to Handle Toxic Leadership / Unhealthy Culture (From Q&A Themes)

  • Use proper reporting channels (not rumor):
    • Report through HR/complaint mechanisms (examples referenced: complaint/whistleblowing).
    • Provide evidence and use appropriate wording.
  • Mutual accountability approach:
    • HR/superiors should open discussion and investigate.
    • Superiors can provide coaching for problematic behavior/person.
    • HR should also receive input from employees.
  • Remain positive and don’t mirror toxic behavior:
    • If the situation blocks development, consider limiting how long you stay.
    • Be a “pioneer” in building positive culture, but avoid becoming like the toxic source.

C) Choosing Whether to Stay or Leave When Culture Is Toxic (From Q&A)

Consider:

  • Whether you are not appreciated
  • Whether benefits/support are not provided
  • Whether you cannot develop or perform your job effectively

As an agent of change:

  • Engage positively and provide appropriate feedback.
  • If, after effort, there is no improvement and you can’t be yourself/positive, consider looking for another environment.

Staying duration depends on individual capability and context (some stay months; others years).

D) Maintaining Professionalism When Motivation Drops or Stress Occurs

  • Manage mood/stress practically:
    • Take a short reset (leave desk/room briefly).
    • Walk around, check on others, and talk briefly (acknowledge that everyone has bad days).
    • Refresh with food/snacks or a short break (example: rooftop area or washing face for mental reset, depending on company norms).
  • Professional principle:
    • Don’t spread negative energy—maintain a good attitude because performance includes both results and attitude.

E) Communicating in Hybrid/Remote Work to Preserve Culture

  • Culture in hybrid/remote environments is possible but harder, depending on industry.
  • If remote/hybrid:
    • Don’t let communication stop.
    • Clarify tasks and responsibilities.
    • Avoid miscommunication by smoothing/standardizing communication.

F) Integrity Under Seniority Culture and Unethical Procedures (From Q&A)

  • Treat seniority carefully:
    • Don’t assume fear-based silence is required.
  • Speak up properly:
    • Communicate through the right channel and place.
    • Escalate to higher levels/superiors or HR/system if needed.
  • Use formal mechanisms:
    • Whistleblowing
    • Suggestion box / email channels
  • Ensure safety and fairness:
    • Provide statements through evidence-based channels rather than accusations/gossip.

G) Finding Company Culture Before Joining (From Q&A)

Real culture is best understood after joining, but you can gather clues:

  • Check company reviews
  • Observe social media branding (as partial/biased information)
  • Understand industry norms (hospitality vs banking vs logistics often differ greatly)
  • Evaluate whether company expectations match your personality needs and comfort.

H) Work Ethic and “Appearance vs Character”

  • Appearance may be required by industry/job specs (e.g., hospitality).
  • The speaker doesn’t fully agree that “appearance always replaces attitude.”
  • Hiring standards vary by role:
    • Some roles may limit hair/beard length or require grooming
    • Others may focus more on skills
  • Key point: evaluate role fit based on the company’s specifications.

I) Bridging Generation Gaps in Workplace Ethics (From Q&A)

Companies should build programs to unite multiple generations, such as:

  • Cross-level meetings (example: “GM table” where lower-level staff meet the GM)
  • Shared activities/training and mixed seating
  • Coaching/socialization sessions that include different communication speeds/styles

Goal: stable productivity through mutual understanding.

Speakers / Sources Featured (As Mentioned)

  • MC/Moderator: Tabita
  • Primary speaker: Mr. Febritan — Human Research Manager, The Grand Mansion Menteng
  • Additional named participant(s) who asked questions:
    • Agnes Olivia
    • Clara Clarisa
    • Irfan Muhammad Yani
    • Rafael
    • Aquila
    • Sandy Poin
    • Nathanael
    • Tomy (also “Tomik” in subtitles)
    • Tafar Guna
    • Matthew (from “Sinence Computer”)
    • Jasmine Olivia
  • Other referenced organizer/host name: Mrs. Luna

Original video