Core values are the DNA of any organization, serving as the backbone of a company’s culture, guiding decision-making, and influencing behavior. They are more than just words displayed on a website or conference room wall; they are the essence of how a company operates and responds to challenges.
According to a recent study, organizations that actively implement their core values see higher employee engagement and lower turnover rates. Drawing on insights from leaders who have successfully navigated various economic cycles, here are five ways a company’s leadership can infuse core values throughout their organization.
Keep Core Values Front and Center
Core values must start at the executive level, where leaders emulate and regularly communicate them.
It is important to begin every meeting, call, and event by highlighting core values, and ensuring your team remains aligned with the mission. Leaders must be relentless in evangelizing the company’s story, mission, and values, keeping them at the forefront of every organizational activity.
Make Decisions Rooted in Your Values
Difficult business decisions are inevitable, but the best choices align with core values.
For instance, staffing decisions reflect the value of continuous improvement. Asking candidates about their resilience and growth and seeking individuals whose actions embody the company’s values ensures that new hires thrive within the company culture and can contribute positively to the team.
Share Stories to Boost Employee Engagement
In addition to regular communication, sharing stories of how employees embody core values is crucial. Ending staff calls with praise for employees who exemplify the company’s values highlights these efforts.
Celebrating these stories reinforces that living the company’s values is an organizational expectation and creates a culture of recognition and engagement.
Apply Behaviors to Your Values
Every core value needs a corresponding behavior to manifest it tangibly. For example, the value of “Have Pride in What You Do” is supported by celebrating team members’ accomplishments. Recognizing individual efforts encourages collaboration, accountability, and respect.
Similarly, “Respect the Individual” is demonstrated by valuing diverse ideas and beliefs, even if we don’t always agree with them. This approach ensures that core values are actionable and measurable within the organization.
Leadership Should Celebrate Values in Action
Leadership plays a vital role in celebrating core values by recognizing employees who embody them. Organizing quarterly or annual award ceremonies can give employees well-deserved recognition for their hard work.
Showcasing these accomplishments not only boosts morale but also reinforces the importance of core values, encouraging everyone to strive for excellence.
The Wrap
Core values are more than declarations; they are guiding principles that shape a company’s identity and interactions.
Leaders must integrate these values into every facet of operations, from decision-making to daily behaviors and celebrations. By doing so, organizations can cultivate a workplace where individuals feel aligned, empowered, and engaged. In challenging times, these core values become the anchor that guides a company toward sustained success and resilience.
Through relentless communication, actionable behaviors, and continuous recognition, leaders can ensure that core values are not just words but the very essence of their organizational culture.
Go Deeper -> 5 ways leaders can instill core values throughout their organization – FastCompany
