Introduction
Core values are the foundation on which you build an organization. They are what makeup who you are as an organization, and they can help guide your decisions when hiring employees and making business decisions. In this article, we will discuss the characteristics of good core values, what having them can do for your organization, and how to get value by implementing them successfully.
Core Values are integral to the success of a company
In addition to guiding the decisions of a company, core values also help define and solidify the culture on which they stand. In turn, this affects the work environment, hiring process, and company brand.
When you think about it like that, you begin to see why it is so important for companies to have strong core values. However, if your company doesn't already have any set in stone - or needs some serious revamping - there are some things you can do:
Ensure that your core values align with what your employees want from their job (and vice versa).
Make sure they're realistic; if you don't have time for people who disagree with how things should be done (or even just those who aren't as good at their jobs as others) then it's not fair for anyone involved. It may also make recruiting harder than necessary because candidates will likely gravitate towards organizations where they feel welcome and valued by management despite having differing opinions about how something should be done due simply because those places respect them enough not only listen but also consider their input before making decisions themselves."
"Core Values are what you want your organization to stand for."
Core values are what you want your organization to stand for. They are about how you want your company to be perceived, remembered, and ultimately defined. They're also about how you want your employees to behave when they enter the building every morning, interact with customers and carry out their work duties in the course of a normal day.
Core values should reflect what's important—that which is non-negotiable—and may include: integrity; customer focus; innovation; teamwork; service excellence; environmental stewardship or whatever else matters most to you as an organization.
Core Values can help you Hire Better People
Core values can help you hire better people because they can help you find people who are a good fit for your company.
If you have a core value that says “we do things in an honest and transparent manner,” then the candidate interviewing for a job at your firm has to be someone who believes in that value and will abide by it. If he or she doesn't believe in honesty, transparency, and openness—and doesn't care about adhering to those values—then maybe this isn't the right person for your company. This means that if one of your core values is being open, collaborative, and friendly (or whatever other traits would make someone great at their job), then all candidates need to prove that they're open, collaborative, and friendly before they get hired.
If you don't have core values, then it's likely that your company is constantly hiring people who are a mismatch for the job. This means that people are hired because they're good at what they do rather than being great at their jobs.
Core Values should be easy to understand and apply
If your core values are too complicated, it's likely they will be hard to understand and apply. If this happens, then they won't be a great motivator or guide for anyone in your company.
Make sure the core values you choose are simple and easy to understand by asking yourself these questions:
Can I explain what each one means?
Can I put it into my life?
Can I put it into my job?
Can I put it into my team's work?
Can I see how these core values play out in our company as a whole?
If you can answer yes to these questions, then the core values are likely to be a good fit for your company. If not, it's time to rethink them.
Core Value Verification takes time and effort
Core values are not a one-time thing. If you want to recruit and retain top talent, you’ll need to make sure your company’s core values are always on display. It takes time and effort to do this effectively, but it’s worth the cost of keeping your organization moving in the right direction.
One way you can do this is by making sure that all employees understand what each core value means in practice—and that they’re putting those principles into action every day. This requires training and education programs designed around these principles, as well as regular reviews with managers who oversee employees on a daily basis.
Furthermore, if someone isn't upholding the company's core values (or worse yet: violates them), disciplinary action should be taken immediately—without exception! Employees must understand that there are serious consequences for violating these rules: no matter who they are or what their position may be within the company hierarchy
You need buy-in from your top leaders and your employees
Make sure everyone is on board with the core values
Make sure the core values are actionable
Make sure the core values are measurable
Make sure they're easy to understand and apply
Make sure they're inspiring
Make sure they're not overly specific or too long
"If you do not have good core values or if you don't hold people accountable to them, they are not worth the paper they are written on."
If you do not have good core values or if you don't hold people accountable to them, they are not worth the paper they are written on.
Core values are not just words on a piece of paper. They should be healthy to follow and be the foundation of your company's culture. If these values do not reflect how your organization operates, then they aren't valuable.
Core values should be easy to understand and clearly defined. Again, if the core values are hard to understand, then they aren't worth following. You should be able to explain them in a sentence or two.
If your values are too specific, they can't be applied to everything that you do. For example, if one of your core values is "quality products," that doesn't tell you how to achieve that goal. It's essential for your core values to be broad enough so that they can be applied across all areas of the business, including customer service and employee relations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, core values are a great way to help you hire better people. However, they aren't going to change the world unless everyone in your organization believes in them and adheres to them. If you don't have good core values or if you don't hold people accountable to them, they are not worth the paper they are written on.
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