We have done a lot of work around helping organisations research, define, communicate and embed their values, and almost always we have to start the process by explaining, and gaining buy-in, by staff and leaders alike, that values are fundamental to an organisation, particularly ones that may be going through a lot of change. Why is that?
As cognitive human beings we all have a set of values that we consciously or unconsciously live by – be it as individuals or families or peer groups. They are important in defining what is right and wrong, what’s important to people and what underlying principles shape how we interact with each other. It’s almost like a set of aspirational ‘rules for behaving’ by which you govern your environment and challenge those who don’t live by the same ‘rules’. All of this applies to the workplace too.
Organisational values are important to help categorise the culture of the company, to underpin the brand promise, set an organisation apart from its competitors and provide consistent and rational decision-making frameworks.
We always start from the bottom up when looking to develop a set of values within an organisation – values cannot be fully representative unless they have been formed through debate, participation and a consensus of opinions from a cross-section of stakeholders.
Defining organisational values should not end there – to ensure they are firmly absorbed into the culture and don’t remain just a poster on the wall or an entry in the annual report, they need to be comprehensively and regularly communicated, embedded through face to face interventions and employees should be encouraged to ‘live them’ daily by strategic reward and recognition practices.
Think about your favourite brands or organisation and find out about their values – do you think they reflect your experience of their brand?
