Core Values: What They Are And How To Express Them

Core values are the fundamental beliefs and personal ethics that guide a business. Core values

should play an active role during your business's growth, motivating employees and providing a

clear measure through which performance can be measured. However, when a business is still

just starting out, core values may not seem all that important at first. This is particularly true if

the business has been around for a while and the employees have come to understand the

company's policies and practices. Yet core values need to be maintained and brought into focus,

especially if the business model involves a highly competitive business environment.

A company that works with employees through all stages of operations needs to have a values

statement that clearly defines the company's core values. These could include the mission

statement, which should cover what the company is all about, its values, and how the company

implements its missions and goals. When choosing a values statement, it is a good idea to work

with an advisory board, composed of the top people in the company. They can provide insights

on the core values that are important to different groups within the company. It is also important

that the values statement be reviewed periodically to ensure that they remain aligned with the

company's objectives and operational policies. Learn more about core values.

A business that sells products or provides a service needs to ensure that its employees know

the core values of the business. These may include the core value of building customer

relationships and commitment to providing quality products and services. Communication

between the CEO and the employees on these matters is crucial, as it helps to ensure that the

company adheres to the key principles of good corporate governance. Furthermore, the

employees tend to adhere to these values once they understand and appreciate the important

impact of those core values. When a business implements measures to build internal

organizational culture and values alignment, the results can often be dramatic.

Additional Alignment

In addition to creating alignment between the core values and the functions of the company, it is

important to take care to ensure that the values statement is communicated to the employees.

Communication about the values and how they impact the operations of the company can help

build commitment among the employees, resulting in a more productive and successful work

environment. For smaller organizations that do not have formal employee induction processes, it

can prove difficult for the CEO to explain the value proposition of the company and discuss how

those values contribute to the company's overall success and position in the industry. When the

values statement is communicated to the employees in person, it can offer valuable insight on

how the organization should proceed.

Communication about core values helps employees understand why they are important and how

their actions impact the business. It can be especially challenging for an organization to

communicate its core values to the employees when those values contradict one another. When

employees understand that the company has different values, it helps them make sense of what

their roles in the organization are and how they fit into the larger picture. This can result in

greater loyalty among employees who understand that their actions affect the outcome of the

business. A solid understanding of the company's values also means that senior management

can easily identify trends that occur throughout the organization and move the company in theright direction, while discouraging unethical or unwanted behavior among employees.

Despite the fact that it may prove challenging to communicate the core values of a company,

there are ways to address this issue. Communication can occur with communication workshops

or through informal discussions with the employees. The process may even require hiring

consultants who are skilled in conducting interviews and focus groups to get the necessary information. When it comes to addressing conflicts over the definition of core values, it is usually best to wait until the organizational culture is well established procedures are in place. However, when conflicts arise, it is often possible to resolve these issues without having to resort to disciplinary actions that can negatively impact the company's reputation.