Great workplace cultures do not happen by chance.
They are built by organisations willing to improve even when things already seem to be going well.
This proactive mindset shaped Tetracore Energy Group’s journey to Great Place To Work® Certification™.
Rather than waiting for cracks to appear, Tetracore chose a different path. The organisation leaned into employee feedback to validate what was working and uncover where it could grow.
The result? A workplace where employees feel heard, trusted, and empowered to thrive, with 83% affirming it’s a great place to work, according to their Trust Index™ Survey.
Meet Tetracore Energy Group
Tetracore Energy Group Limited is a leading player in Nigeria’s energy sector, delivering reliable, innovative, and sustainable energy solutions.
They drive the use of natural gas and renewable fuels to power industries, businesses, and homes. Through its operations, Tetracore supports over 300MW of electricity generation to the grid and provides energy solutions to more than 20 industries and independent power producers.
Why Tetracore Partnered with Great Place To Work
Becoming Great Place To Work Certified goes beyond getting a badge.
It reflects an organisation’s commitment to building a healthy, supportive workplace and inspires other organisations to follow the same path.
For Tetracore, partnering with Great Place To Work was an opportunity to get employee feedback and strengthen their workplace culture.
“We first learned about Great Place To Work through industry networks and professional HR communities and were inspired by other Certified organisations whose values aligned with our commitment to building a supportive, inclusive, and high-performing workplace”, says Nkiruka Onwordi, Head, Human Resources at Tetracore.
The Challenge: Improving From a Position of Strength
There are no perfect organisations.
Even the best workplaces have opportunities to improve, strengthen employee experiences, and build on what already works.
That was the mindset behind Tetracore’s decision to earn Great Place To Work Certification.
Workplace challenges or negative employee experiences didn’t drive the decision. Instead, it was a desire to listen to employees, gain deeper insights, and improve the workplace culture.
“We were not facing significant challenges before pursuing Great Place To Work Certification; however, we saw it as an opportunity to improve our workplace culture further, enhance employee engagement, and strengthen the positive environment we had already built,” explains Nkiruka.
For many HR teams, getting people to participate in surveys can be challenging. But not for employees at Tetracore.
As Nkiruka shares, “Employees responded positively to participating in the survey, appreciating the opportunity to share their honest feedback in a confidential and constructive manner. Many viewed it as a sign of the company’s commitment to listening, valuing their opinions, and continuously improving the workplace.”
Their willingness to participate confirms an important truth: when employees trust their organisation, they are more likely to speak openly, contribute meaningfully, and help shape a better workplace.
The Solution: Identifying Opportunities to Strengthen Culture
Average workplaces rely on assumptions.
Great workplaces listen. They create opportunities for people to share their honest feedback and use those insights to improve their workplace culture.
As Nkiruka Onwordi explains:
“We were motivated to carry out a Trust Index Survey to gain valuable, unbiased insights into our employees’ perceptions, validate the strengths of our workplace culture, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. We saw it as an important step in reinforcing trust, transparency, and employee engagement across the organisation.”
The survey gave employees a confidential platform to share their experiences while giving leadership a clear direction of what they valued.
And the findings were encouraging.
The survey affirmed many of the strengths Tetracore believed already existed within the organisation. But more importantly, it provided first-hand information on how they can improve.
“The survey largely confirmed the strengths we believed existed within our workplace, such as strong teamwork, trust in leadership, and a shared commitment to our mission, says Nkiruka. “While there were no major negative surprises, we did uncover valuable insights on areas where we can enhance internal communication and provide even more opportunities for professional development. These findings have been helpful in shaping our ongoing improvement initiatives," she concluded.
The Outcomes: Improved Employee Engagement and Retention
Since earning Great Place To Work® Certification, Tetracore has seen meaningful progress across several business metrics, such as:
- Higher Employee Engagement: Employee engagement scores improved significantly, reflecting a workforce that feels connected to the organisation’s mission and motivated to contribute beyond role expectations. According to their perception statement, at least 70% of their entire workforce is fully engaged.
- Stronger Cross-Team Collaboration: Insights from the survey helped leadership address communication gaps intentionally. The result? Stronger teamwork and better collaboration across departments. Seven in ten employees say they can count on colleagues to cooperate.
- Improved Workplace Morale: When employees see their feedback taken seriously, trust grows. That trust changes how people show up every day. Employees become more invested, connected, and optimistic about the work environment.
- Increased Employee Retention: A strong culture protects organisations from costly turnover. By investing in employee experience, Tetracore strengthened retention while preserving institutional knowledge, team cohesion, and long-term performance.
- Greater Talent Attraction: Certification has also strengthened Tetracore’s employer brand. The recognition has increased visibility among top talent who are intentional about where they build their careers.
The Path Forward
For Tetracore, certification is part of an ongoing commitment to listen, improve, and create an environment where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow.
According to Nkiruka, "We plan to maintain a great workplace by continuously listening to employee feedback, acting on insights from surveys, and fostering a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration. We will keep investing in professional development, employee well-being, and transparent communication, while celebrating achievements and reinforcing our core values. Our goal is to ensure that Tetracore remains a place where people are inspired to contribute, grow, and thrive."
Advice for Other Organisations
Every organisation's goal is growth and profitability. But behind every strong business performance are employees who bring their best selves to work every day.
That's why building a great workplace culture isn't just an HR initiative; it's a business strategy that starts with listening to employees.
Nkiruka shares her advice for organisations looking to improve their employee experience and earn Great Place To Work Certification:
1. Shift Your Perspective on Recognition
"Our advice to other organisations is to view the Certification process as more than recognition," says Nkiruka.
Great Place To Work Certification goes beyond earning a badge. It's a commitment to understanding employee experiences, validating what's working in your workplace culture, and identifying meaningful growth opportunities.
The certification reflects what your employees actually experience every day.
2. Create Space for Honest Listening
Employees experience the workplace differently from leadership. What feels like open communication from leadership may feel entirely different on the lower level. That gap is precisely why listening matters.
"It's an opportunity to listen to your people, strengthen your culture, and commit to continuous improvement," Nkiruka affirms.
The Trust Index Survey provides an anonymous platform that enables employees to share honest feedback. This creates the psychological safety needed to uncover valuable insights.
3. Commit to Meaningful Action
Collecting feedback is only the first step. The real transformation comes from what you do with those insights. Employees can tell when feedback disappears into a black hole versus when leadership genuinely acts on what they've heard.
"Approach it with openness, transparency, and genuine intent to act on employee feedback," advises Nkiruka.
Transparency matters here: share what you learned from the survey, acknowledge areas for improvement, communicate the actions you're taking, and follow through consistently. This builds the trust that makes future feedback even more valuable.
4. Understand the Ripple Effect of Impact
"The benefits go beyond the award, positively impacting engagement, retention, and overall business success," says Nkiruka.
Strong workplace cultures create engaged employees who contribute their best. They improve retention, reduce recruitment costs and increase productivity.
They strengthen cross-functional collaboration, breaking down silos that slow progress. And ultimately, they contribute to sustainable business performance, because when people thrive, organisations thrive.
Benchmark your workplace
Discover what employees value about working at your company, and how you can boost retention rates and increase productivity and performance with Great Place To Work Certification™.
