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A company’s core values shouldn’t just sound pretty. They should become guiding principles that everyone in your organization can refer to.
Ideally, employees should be able to see our values in times of independent decision-making. This allows them to make decisions that align with our intended branding direction. However, many companies have values that are not clear or up-to-date. As Gallup research shows, this can lead to serious problems.
See also: Core Values: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Live Them Today
In a recent Gallup poll, less than a quarter of respondents said they are guided by their company’s values. Only 27% say they believe in the values their employers promote. As a result, the values become little more than words – and that undermines their potential to be inspirational and clarifying.
Ideally, your corporate values should be able to do much more than just sound good on paper. You want them to resonate with all of your team members and appeal to your customers or customer base. However, to reap these benefits, you may need to reconsider or update your existing company assets. Below are the best strategies to ensure new values reflect the needs of employees and buyers.
1. Involve your employees in the discussion at an early stage
It’s difficult to get support for values if you haven’t asked your team for feedback first. A better way to ensure your values are on track is to survey your workforce. We recommend bringing in a third party. Consider working with a consultant experienced in creating strong, effective organizational cultures. After all, you want your values to drive your culture—and vice versa.
To put it into practice, hold town meetings, send out surveys, and find out how your employees want to be contacted and ultimately treated. I’ve found this to be one of the best ways to start the conversation across the corporate landscape.
2. Match your words to your actions
All too often, companies share values but do not live them. Your entrepreneurial actions should support the values of your company. For example, one of our values is to treat everyone equally. If we had gender pay gaps that weren’t addressed, we would be showing my team that I don’t really stand behind the values I hold. It wouldn’t be long before someone noticed the split, which could lead to staff turnover or negative press.
There are many ways to align your actions with your values. In this case, you could donate to specific causes. Or you can pay your employees to do volunteer work throughout the year. Feel free to get creative in ways that make sense based on your values.
3. Talk about your values
It can be difficult to keep track of your stats, especially at peak times. One way to keep values alive that we have become accustomed to is to speak openly about them. For example, add them to your company’s social media or blog posts. The more you talk about your values, the more real they become to internal and external stakeholders.
See also: Standing Up: How to Establish Authentic Core Values
A side benefit of discussing your values is that they become synonymous with your brand. Patagonia is a good example of this. The company’s core values include environmental protection, unconventionality and a commitment to justice. As such, Patagonia’s leaders have taken a bold stand to protect the planet and fight systemic racism. The result? The company and its values are forever connected.
4. Start small and sincerely
When you start building value, start on a smaller scale. You don’t have to have a dozen value points. I’ve noticed that picking just one is enough to boost your business. It’s okay to add or expand on more value statements as you progress.
Remember, the goal isn’t to overwhelm everyone with what you value as a company. It should show the real face of your company. Feel free to choose individual words to form your values or generate a phrase that embodies your values. Slack does the latter with its header: “Make work life easier, more enjoyable, and more productive.” It’s easy to see how this value statement could become a roadmap for teams to follow.
You can’t always be there to tell your employees and colleagues what to do. But your core values can. Start refreshing and refining your value proposition today. If you do this, you will better position your business to remain strong and competitive.