Every company has values, but not every company lives (and works) by them. It’s those very beliefs that help build high growth teams and an even stronger company culture. However, a company’s moral code can easily get lost in the hustle and bustle of the work day.
The key to bringing organisational values to the forefront is to convert them into specific, behavioural examples. By modelling and rewarding behaviours that demonstrate each value, employees are constantly reminded of what their company stands for and how to better work by those principles. Additionally, these observable behaviours make it easier for employers to measure and manage company standards.
Here are four easy ways to bring your organisational values to life:
- Put values front and centre.
It can be easy to lose sight of company values when focused on the task at hand. They should guide all aspects of business, from the decisions we make to the talent we source to the way we interact with customers. Howeber they can’t be applied if they’re not remembered.
So how can employers make company values stick?
Keep the company’s moral code at the forefront of everyone’s mind by making it prominent within the workplace. In addition to featuring it on the company website, post it where employees often gather (conference rooms, snack rooms, toilets, etc).
- Recruit based on values.
Building a high performance team that lives and works by the company moral code starts with recruiting based upon values. For each of the company’s values, develop a list of questions designed to assess a candidate’s character and potential fit.
People are often predisposed to sharing the company’s beliefs, so using the interview process to identify people who have similar principles is crucial to building a team that can successfully apply company ethics to everything they do.
- Work and play by values.
The best way to bring organisational values to life is to model them. Live, work and play by them on a daily basis.
Actively model company values by aligning them with company culture activities, such as taking time off to volunteer together. Most important, lead by example. Show employees how it’s done by using company character to guide business decisions and empowering employees to do the same.
- Reward and promote values.
Finally, promote organisational values by rewarding behaviours that demonstrate them. Don’t hesitate to publicly reward someone for exhibiting behaviours that are in line with the company’s character. Not only does this make the individual feel good, it also pushes the rest of the company to follow suit.
