Whenever a new consultant joins Singapore-based family wealth advisory firm Unicorn, their first interaction is with Chief People Officer Chua Hui Xin. A financier herself by background, she trains them in their practice, but that isn't the only reason. She wants them to feel safe and confident in coming to her with any issues they may face, whether professional or personal, workplace-related or family-related.

"I cannot intrude on their privacy; I just have to keep my door open," she says. "I want them to feel that whenever they need help, we will always be there to help them. Of course there are people who may not want to be so open with their lives, and I won't pressure them."

The emphasis on psychological safety and support is a huge part of Unicorn's culture, Chua says. "Unicorn is a family, and we want to help you not just in terms of earning an income but also building your health and your relationships."

Culture is not something you read on the website

The first priority when someone new joins Unicorn is to make sure they know the company culture. Chua and her team are very careful about that; academic qualifications, skills, and even experience take second place to character, attitude, and culture fit. The onboarding and orientation process is also about coaching and training each new joinee to understand and work within Unicorn's culture, keeping to the heart of each others' interest so that everyone in the company can progress together.

"In the first place, you must know who we are and what our culture is. We want to ensure that we attract like-minded individuals: people who want to feel that they are part of a family," she says.

What does culture fit really mean, though? It's not just about the way things are done, Chua believes: it is about whether a person's values mesh with the company's in the first place, and that by itself entails a level of self-awareness.

"Don't feel that just because you studied something, you must find a job that's about it," she cautions. "The very first thing you must do is know yourself and the values that are important to you."

"Only when you know the values that you hold very dearly, can you look for an organisation that shares the same values. That is the culture you will fit with."

Chua speaks from experience, because in her words, that was exactly what she didn't do. She became an accountant because of her strong beliefs in integrity and authenticity, but when these did not manifest in the company she was working for, it didn't matter how much she enjoyed the job; it was not the right place for her.

The importance of culture is also why Unicorn recruits in a very selective fashion - a luxury that is unique to companies serving specific niches, and one that Chua and her team take full advantage of.

"Our recruitment has never been published, because no one in Singapore does the kind of work we do," she explains. "I definitely want to grow, but never at the expense of culture or what we do. We want to attract the right individuals."

When culture, people, and leadership reflect each other

Before moving to Unicorn, Chua herself spent a good decade of her career as an intensely work-oriented person, focusing purely on results and completely indifferent to the people side of the workplace. That approach to life let her climb the corporate ladder to the role of regional finance manager within just ten years, but it also did not make her a good leader or manager.

"I was a very difficult supervisor in the past," she admits. "I feel that especially in finance, when my investors entrust their finances to me, if someone working with me cannot even do a simple job, that's not acceptable."

That principle in itself was sound, she says, but the approach she was using with her team was not one that could grow people or keep them happy with the work. People reacted negatively to her communication and leadership style. It was only much later, when she joined Unicorn and felt that the company's culture truly resonated with her personal beliefs, that she started to think of leadership and management from a different angle: that of service.

"As a consultant, I served my investors. When I became a manager, I served my investors and my consultants. When I became a director, I served the whole company."

This is also why the open-door policy and the emphasis on psychological safety remain so close to her heart even after years of moving up through the ranks and growing the company.

"I am very grateful that even though I am now an owner of the company, people are still willing to come to me for help with the challenges they are facing," she says.

The approach Chua takes now, and that is closely intertwined with Unicorn's values and culture, is one of focusing on personal and professional growth: values before money, mindset before output. And she and her team dedicate plenty of resources to ensuring people in the company get that growth, with consultants putting in between 6-8 hours of personal and professional training weekly.

What kind of returns does this value-based investment in people give? Such outcomes can't be measured immediately, but they are reflected in who Unicorn's employees are and how closely they are aligned with the company, not just in terms of business strategy but in values and beliefs.

"The right thoughts with the right people, in the right environment, with the right intention, produces the right result," Chua says. "Character leads to production: by doing the right thing, you will earn."

Photo: Chua Hui Xin at Unicorn's Kampung Private Club in Singapore.