Bringing Workplace Values to Life

Disconnects between a company’s stated values and its values in action can dramatically affect employee engagement, productivity, absenteeism and safety, as well as recruitment and retention.

The truth is that upholding workplace values isn’t always easy. For example, most companies will agree that respect, integrity and accountability are important core values. Yet it’s not uncommon for businesses large and small to engage in such actions as:

• Cutting corners to meet a budget or schedule.

• Lying to avoid a confrontation or difficult conversation.

• Being too busy to provide proper guidance and training to staff.

• Rewarding “star” performers who bend the rules to get results.

• Using guilt or intimidation as “leadership” tactics.

So how can you bring your workplace values to life? Here are some ideas to get started:

• Lead by example. Leaders demonstrate your company’s commitment to values through their own words and actions. As role models, they show employees the importance of applying values to day-to-day decisions.

• Involve and engage. Provide facilitator training (presentation templates and talking points) so that managers/supervisors can help employees determine how best to align their actions with company values.

• Reward the right behaviors. Recognize and reward those who embody values-based behaviors. Allow channels for employees to recognize fellow team members as well.

• Address noncompliance. Take appropriate action to discipline individuals who fail to uphold workplace values. Provide coaching to managers/supervisors to help them hold these sensitive discussions effectively.

• Recruit the right people. Emphasize workplace values through the sourcing, recruiting, interview and onboarding processes to make sure that those you hire, whether college recruits or senior executives, will be the right fit for your business.

Offering proper training, tools and guidance — and demanding accountability at every level of your organization — will help your business take company values from lip service to true commitment and action.