5 Ways to Reinforce Your Company’s Values
As a leader, you have a responsibility to ensure that the values of your organization are embodied in everything that you and your employees do.
But you can’t just write down a list of values and expect everyone to live by them. You need to actively reinforce those values every day, both in how you behave and what you say.
Here are 5 ways that, as a leader, you can reinforce your company’s values in your day-to-day operations:
1. Live and Lead by example.
The way you act sends a clear message about what is acceptable behavior within the organization. It should go without saying that if you don’t embody the values of your company yourself, nobody else will.
In fact, it’s not enough for leaders to simply embody the values themselves—they must also be seen demonstrating those values at all times. If you want people to be accountable, be accountable yourself (and hold others accountable).
If customer satisfaction matters to you, be sure that your customers are satisfied. If innovation is important to your organization, encourage new ideas from all levels of the staff.
2. Reinforce the values in all communication.
If you want to make sure the whole team is on the same page about what your company stands for then it is important to mention them—ideally, with some frequency and in a variety of ways.
Showing that you care about the values enough to make them part of your daily routine will help get the message across that they are important.
One easy way to do this is in the form of a quick email or newsletter; everyone uses email, so it’s an especially efficient tool for communicating with a large number of people. Even if you only send a quick message out once a week, the consistency will help bring your values into the regular conversation and reinforce the ideas on an ongoing basis.
3. Ensure alignment between internal and external messaging.
The tone of a company’s brand is largely set by its values because it’s a direct reflection of what the company stands for. The content you put out externally should align with the values you express internally.
For example, if your company values transparency, then your brand voice should be open and honest. This means that the way you communicate with customers, prospects, and employees should be consistent across all channels.
4. Incorporate the values into your hiring process.
Your hiring process is a great place to start bringing your values into your work. When you’re interviewing candidates, it’s important to keep an eye out for those who possess the same values as your company.
Your goal is to find people who are not just technically qualified but also a good fit for your company culture—and this means choosing people who will agree with and uphold the values you’ve laid out.
You can do this in a couple of ways: first, by having a specific set of questions that will reveal whether or not the values you’re looking for are present in your candidates.
You can also ask candidates about the qualities they admire most in others and how they think their values align with yours. This can be very telling in regard to how well the candidate would fit into your workplace with his or her values intact.
5. Recognize and reward values-centric behaviors.
When values-centric behaviors are recognized and rewarded, employees feel valued and cared for by the company. Leaders need to remember that recognition does not always have to be financial.
A simple thank you can go a long way towards making your employees feel appreciated for their hard work. Additionally, be sure to acknowledge the little things as well as the big things to avoid creating a culture of entitlement around rewards.
The most effective recognition will be specific and timely, so try not to wait too long after an employee’s values-centric behavior before acknowledging it.
Another great way to reward employees is by using public recognition, such as certificates or awards. These types of public recognitions help employees recognize each other’s efforts and encourage them to emulate their peers’ behavior to receive similar recognition.
However you choose to recognize and reward your people, the key is to put the spotlight on individuals who are doing their best to live up to your core values—and give them something extra for doing so.
The Bottom Line
In the modern workplace, it’s more important than ever to reinforce your company’s values. If your employees don’t feel like they’re part of a community, they won’t be as productive. And if they don’t feel like they’re part of a community, they won’t be as loyal.
By practicing these five techniques, you’ll ensure that your employees will feel supported and included in achieving your company’s goals. That way, you can make sure everyone is working towards the same vision—together.
At Positively People, we believe that making values the foundation of your business model helps create a healthier company culture, which leads to increased productivity, efficiency, and employee satisfaction.
If you’re interested in finding out more about how we help companies like yours align their values with their business model, get in touch with us today.
