In my many years in generalist People roles, I’ve found the use of Core Values to be divisive; some people really love them, some approach them with cynicism and distrust - and in some instances I’ve seen poorly applied core values approaches drive disenfranchisement, and actively damage the psychological contract employees have with the companies they work for.
Core Values Need to Create Clarity, not Control Behaviour
Some lump core values into the same category as the slightly terrifying use of the word ‘family’ when discussing company culture, and view core values as part of the same cult-like philosophy; that they’re exclusionary and anti-diversity, designed to create homogenous cultures where individual approaches and perspectives are rejected, and ‘yes people’ are the ones who rise to the top. I’ve seen first-hand cultures just like this, where favouritism trumps fairness; it’s very easy for core values to be the enforcer of the clique.
Some say core values are just corporate HR nonsense.
I’ve experienced real push-back from people who feel that core values were set in a top-down, authoritative way and in a vacuum of insight when it comes to the reality of daily life as an employee in that organisation. In this scenario there’s often been a simultaneously strong feeling that core values go unchecked for years without a refresh or any validity testing.
I’ve at times struggled to disagree that very-much-not-embedded core values are very-much-not-enabling, and are instead simply and solely applied as a mechanism of leverage for managers to comment on the intangibles of performance; behaviour, attitude etc. I’ve empathised massively with employees in these environments, particularly when asked to reflect on their personal demonstration of core values as criteria in performance reviews - it all feels like a bit of a trap.
Purpose: The Missing Piece of the Puzzle
The classic adage of core values being buzzwords on motivational posters on the walls of (oftentimes corporate) offices, has been somewhat broken down by the hybrid/remote-first future of work that we should all be optimising for…
Nobody can force you to put tedious values posters up on the walls in your work from home setup… after all!
Many crucial components of a positive experience of work are (thankfully!) becoming hard to ignore in the post-pandemic context; things like trust, autonomy, individualisation, flexibility, meaningful work, transparency, effective internal communication, the ability to work asynchronously and in multiplayer ways…
These components of the experience of work have always been important, studies have shown for decades that trust-based approaches are the best ones when it comes to motivation and job satisfaction, but I’ve been reflecting that as a result of the growing strength in employee voice, the spotlight is very much on how core values ‘show up’ in the contemporary workplace.
What is really clear, is that if your core values are the ‘how’ then you better be sure you are providing clarity about the ‘what’.
Call it a vision, call it a mission, call it a strategy, or simply a plan - if you can’t articulate what you’re doing and why, and for who, then dictating to your employees how they should behave is something you quickly lose the right to do or the credibility to discuss.
At best, and when done properly, I believe core values provide a set of clearly signposted indicators of what a company, in terms of collective behaviours and standards, should avoid. Rather than dictating a set of behavioural rules, core values should provide boundaries and structure within which people are trusted to act autonomously and with freedom.
Core values should create clarity of what a company doesn’t tolerate.
Tied closely to brand promise, it’s a ‘no grey area here’ definition of the norms a company requires. (And there’s nothing wrong with that. Employers should reserve the right to provide that clarity).
Values shouldn’t be aspirational; if they are, it’s a pretty solid indicator that you’re lacking a clearly articulated purpose. These things are naturally open to interpretation and are subject to bespoke implementation in every organisation, but I’ve generally always used the following definitions to help nail the missing piece of the puzzle; purpose.
- Vision: Truly, aspirational. A stretch goal. This is your north star, a scenario or status that a business may never reach, but that your company is constantly striving for. This should be all about impact, the legacy your company is going to leave in solving the important problems you’re working on.
- Mission: What you get out of bed for. The route or path that connects today with the future state your vision describes. This is a significantly important part of your overall employee value proposition (EVP) - because EVP is not just salary + benefits and hasn’t been for a long time. This is about how you’re disrupting, changing the current situation and crafting something valuable together, day-in, day-out.
- Values: Your standards, as I’ve described; boundary-setting and the clear indication of what isn’t tolerated. This isn’t about controlling individuals, it’s about setting them up for success as contributors in self-correcting teams. It’s all about delivering a consistent quality of brand promise for each other, for the customer and for society.
I argue that this is a waterfall; a cascade that starts with vision, and ends with values and that as a collective, this is your PURPOSE. I also argue that you have to start at the top of the waterfall; going straight to values is a recipe for the sorts of push-back I described at the beginning of this piece.
With the requirement for many businesses to meet Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards - including proving how transparent and accountable to those standards the company is - it feels like a good time for everyone to get really focused on their differentiated value and the positive impact that value creates.
Companies with a well-defined purpose have a strong sense of identity, are more likely to commit to sustainable practices, prioritise social responsibility, and maintain high standards of governance. And, by contrast, businesses that lack a clear purpose may struggle and suffer from the lacking guiding principles that are often the primary source of direction and motivation. Get this right, and your purpose eats your core values for breakfast.
Word From The Street
Ginni’s favourite quote of the week from the HR Community
On the theme of behavioural standards, I found this infographic about the ripple effects of micro stresses at work a relatable and resonating representation of the realities for employees.
Recommended
No cookie cutters or silver bullets here, just things Ginni thinks are interesting and/or useful.
If you enjoyed the musings in Ginni’s hot take this week, then be sure not to miss our upcoming webinar (5th April at 3pm GMT) with Kate Higham, Head of Operations at Born Social.
Ginni and Kate will be discussing how to drive team culture through shared values and group initiatives, how to harness employee feedback to achieve ESG goals, Born Social’s own sustainability journey and B Corp certification process and how the role of Operations is integrated into their business.