Six Ways to Use Values at Work
Two years ago, my organization realized our communications included an overabundance of values and guiding principles–something like 27 different values scattered throughout multiple documents.
And so, we spent several months working with our employees and Board to distill the dozens of values into a handful of core beliefs that most accurately defines our workplace and culture.
You may have gone through a similar discernment process at your own workplace. The question is: once you’ve successfully honed your list, what do you do with it, besides frame it for your conference room? Here are six ways we use our values in our daily work.
Selection: I cross-referenced each stage of our hiring process against our core values to make sure all are addressed at some point during the resume review, phone screen, first and second interview and background check. Most are addressed several times in different ways.
Job descriptions and performance expectations: A summary of our values heads each job description. Our values are also woven into the language used to describe required duties and expected behaviors.
Performance reviews: We ensured our values were included throughout our review questions, sometimes explicitly and others less so.
Problem-solving: When we’re discussing challenges, we refer to our values. “How does this proposed change fit in with our value around respect and human dignity?”
Coaching and counseling: My organization provides services to people with disabilities at dozens of locations on a 24/7/365 environment. Lateness is one of the more frequent complaints against our staff. I encourage the managers to explicitly use our values when addressing tardiness. “When you are late, it’s a problem because you disrespect the client and his time” is a more powerful and direct message than “this is a problem because you broke a rule.”
Performance awards: Our annual employee awards are built around our values. We recognize and reward employees who embody them.
Has your organization accurately discerned its core beliefs and guiding principles? If so, how effectively does your organization use its values in its work? And what ideas can you offer that I didn’t mention?
photo by Worcester Academy
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The most critical aspect is that the values actual matter in the work of the organization. Companies that are reviled as corrupt from within after a scandal don’t often (ok, probably ever) have stated values of greed, money is all that matters and if you can get away with it – it is fine. The problem is that for most organization values have little purpose other than decorating some wall or newsletter. We value all our people – and pay our CEO 400 times more than the average person. Customers are the driving force of our business – but don’t take any more than 2 minutes on support calls and force them through 2 minutes of voice mail mazes before we even start. Etc.
John Hunter´s last [type] ..Engage in Improving the Management System
John, you are so right. Sadly. Even a good workplace struggles with walking the talk, I think, much less some of the places you allude to.