Culture Amp research reveals accountability is key to high growth companies

Comprehensive analysis of Inc. 5000 companies uncovers how the fastest-growing businesses in America build high-performance cultures

August 7, 2025 - Melbourne, New York, London, San Francisco, Chicago, Belgrade, Berlin – Culture Amp, the leading employee experience and performance platform, today released comprehensive research that challenges what business leaders think they know about growth, uncovering the cultural DNA that separates good companies from great ones. The study cross-analyzed data on America's fastest-growing private companies on the Inc. 5000 list with its own data, revealing culture isn't "fluffy" – it's a measurable driver of bottom-line results.

Over the past five years, Culture Amp customers have been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list 808 times, with 174 customers making the 2024 list. These companies achieved three-year revenue growth ranging from 72% to 90,779% (median: 208%) across industries, including Business Products & Services (making up 12% of the sample), Software (11%), and Marketing & Advertising (10%).

"This research demonstrates that organizational culture is far from a fluffy concept; it's a measurable force that propels sustained growth,” said Fresia Jackson, Director of People Science Research at Culture Amp. By controlling for industry, size, and region, we've pinpointed what truly sets companies with sustained growth apart: it's a culture of accountability and excellence. These companies not only recognize and reward great performance, they excel at managing and improving underperformance, ensuring everyone meets high standards."

Accountability Drives Sustained Performance

The research found that companies sustaining three or more years of revenue growth excel at one critical factor: accountability. The research also uncovered that employee experience in year two is significantly related to three-year revenue growth. Through analysis, Culture Amp identified a direct statistical relationship between accountability and sustained revenue growth.

Employees at companies on the Inc. 5000 list are significantly more motivated by accountability, recognition, and fair performance evaluation, while control group employees prioritize role stability and compensation. Companies that maintained their Inc. 5000 status demonstrated structured accountability with clear goal cascading, two-way communication, and quality focus that transforms accountability into shared excellence. These findings build on insights from Culture Amp’s report on The Science of Sustainable High Performance, which takes a granular look at high performance, identifying that employees under high performing leaders are 4.5x more likely to be high performing themselves, proving that performance can be learned and leaders play a critical role in this.

As part of this latest research, Culture Amp spoke with MRI Software, a customer that has been named to the Inc. 5000 list four times. MRI Software’s VP of Global Talent Practices, Dean Carpenter, shared: "We empower leaders first and foremost. We don’t believe accountability should be outsourced to HR - it’s a leadership behavior. If a leader isn’t holding their team accountable, that’s a performance issue in itself. And that’s something the leader needs to be held accountable for, too."

The study also found that Inc. 5000 companies enjoy key organizational advantages that contribute to their performance. They experience lower employee turnover (32% vs. 35%), even amid fast growth, indicating that their cultures foster engagement, advancement, and long-term commitment.

Belonging Matters for the Bottom Line

The most surprising finding? Belonging emerged as a direct predictor of growth. While researchers expected accountability to drive performance, the clear correlation between belonging and bottom-line results was unexpected. This discovery provides the hard evidence that L&D and culture professionals have been waiting for.

High-growth companies create cultures where employees feel genuinely connected to the organization's mission and to each other. This sense of belonging translates directly into business results. When employees feel they belong, they're more likely to go above and beyond, stay longer, and contribute to high-performance cultures that drive results.

"This research validates what we've always believed: that culture is the ultimate competitive advantage," said Didier Elzinga, CEO & Co-Founder of Culture Amp. "When you can prove that employee experience drives performance and revenue growth, you're not just talking about workplace satisfaction anymore. You're talking about a fundamental business strategy that separates market leaders from everyone else. Companies that invest in accountability and belonging today are building the foundation for sustained competitive advantage."

Read more: Show me the blueprint: What high-revenue growth companies reveal about performance