How can you make a happier and less stressful organizational culture? Create a company culture based on core values and higher purpose.
Without core values, your company’s higher purpose might get lost in the day-to-day operations of your employees.
Your core values are your company’s DNA, which differentiates you from the competition. Company values drive your business, improve employee engagement, and help your people reach the goals you’ve set for the company.
Roope Heinila, CEO at Smarp, defined it clearly:
“Your company values are your company’s DNA, and they help you differentiate your business from the competition. That’s why you can’t make any important decisions without having them in mind. You have to truly honor your company values in everything you do and set the right example for your employees. It’s the only way you can build trust in the workplace.”
Wondering how you can create your own company core values?
It doesn’t require any special talent, budget, or magic words. You just need the right attitude, dedicated time, and level of commitment.
In this article, you’ll find three simple steps to create great company values.
Step 1: Evaluate
Before you sit down with your team to brainstorm ideas for company values, you need to take some time to evaluate the current state of your company. Evaluate what cultural changes you need to make.
– Write down all the aspects of your company’s culture that you would like to keep, enhance, and further develop.
– Write down all the aspects of your company’s culture that you would like to eliminate and leave behind.
– Write down all the aspects you would like to add to your organization’s culture – that would make your culture even better if adopted and developed.
This exercise will help you and your team identify the values already present in your culture, and perhaps those that should be present.
Step #2: Define
Now it’s time to put your core values into words. You may use a single word or short phrases. Try to keep things simple and understandable.
Don’t use jargon. Use REAL words that people can understand easily.
Provide a deeper explanation of your values to help your employees understand how they can apply them in their day-to-day work.
Keep evolving your values alongside your culture without losing their core meaning.
Step #3: Communicate
Many organizations have core values, yet few use them to their full potential. If you already have a set of core values, make sure you’re effectively communicating them.
– Invite your people to find out what values are most important to them and how they believe these values should apply to the workplace.
– As a leader, set an example. Leaders need to embrace and live the company values. It will encourage employees to understand and embrace them, as well.
– Incorporate the values into your reward and recognition program. It shows that the values are truly important to your company, which will motivate your team to try to live up to those values.
Create your own core values and make it fun and easy to connect employee recognition to your values and gather insights into how your values are being lived.
