What is at the core of your organization? The mission, values and objectives of your business matter and help shape your workplace culture and business strategy. In fact, workplace core values are essentially the foundation upon which your organization is built. They can either support a healthy work environment or end up doing more harm than good. With 46% of job seekers citing workplace culture as “very important” when choosing to apply to an organization, it’s crucial that your core values uphold a culture that all team members can appreciate and follow.
Workplace Core Values: Why They Matter
Workplace core values are more than a list of action phrases on an organization’s website, they are to be thoughtful guiding principles that lead the overall business strategy. Communicating this strategy and these principles to all employees is beneficial, as studies show that 76% of employees believe that a well-defined business strategy helps cultivate a positive work environment.
Purpose: Defining core values is essentially articulating your organization’s purpose. 38% of U.S. employees desire a job that aligns with their interests and passions, and a culture that is based on strong core values provides the opportunity for employees to fulfill their professional purpose. This extends beyond internal team members, as research shows that 63% of consumers say they want to buy products and services from organizations that have a purpose that resonates with their personal belief system.
Accountability: If your values are a true reflection of how you strive to operate your business, then they will guide every business decision and keep your brand aligned with your goals. When core values drive decisions, everyone in the organization is held accountable. Studies found that 82% of managers admit to having “limited to no” ability to successfully hold others accountable, and 91% of employees report that “effectively holding others accountable” is at the top of their organization’s development needs. Lack of accountability at work affects morale and can create a trust barrier between employees and leadership.
Connection: Workplace core values bring a group of people together under one agreed upon belief system that guides day-to-day interactions. For core values to serve as the team’s glue, leadership should live out core values as an example, remind employees of them in meetings, and motivate team members to live them out by recognizing and rewarding the desired behavior, which in turn aids retention as 63% of employees who are recognized at work are very unlikely to look for a new job.
Workplace core values are the backbone of an organization, and if implemented correctly, they can spark positive work culture and drive desired business outcomes. At Work Shield, we take our shared core values seriously and are committed to the following: Always be our Best, Challenge Convention, Winning is Fun, Respect Everyone, Collaboration is Powerful.
About Jennifer Pope Jennifer is the Co-Founder of Work Shield, the complete, tech-enabled workplace harassment and discrimination reporting, investigation and resolution solution that protects employees, employers and cultures at the same time. Jennifer’s background as an attorney fueled her desire to help others. She leverages her experiences from Hewitt Associates, Thompson & Knight, and SMU’s Dedman School of Law to help employers shift the paradigm related to workplace harassment to ensure that everyone has a voice.
Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn.
