Core Values Shape Your Organization's Culture

The core values define the character and culture of a company

Culture is one of the most common buzzwords in any business, small businesses included. But it’s one thing to talk about a culture and think you have a culture and another entirely to strategize, create, and implement a culture in the proper sense of the term.

Many businesses experience the same issue when it comes to culture: They have a general idea of what it is but are completely unaware as to how they can turn the idea into an actionable strategy that bestows benefits unto their businesses. Just some of these benefits include increased productivity, improved employee happiness, and genuine engagement, among others.

So, are you interested in building a thriving company culture? If so, you’ll find out how in this article and which begins with core values.

Why Core Values Matter

Core values are the underlying elements that shape the broader company culture of any organization. Put simply, they’re the principles and beliefs that shape decision-making processes, represent what the company is about, and figure prominently in whether a company is able to retain both employees and clients/customers.

Most importantly, company culture is the one piece of a company that employees relate to. After all, if what your company stands for doesn’t resonate with them (or they aren’t sure what you stand for), chances are they won’t remain with your business for long. That being said, identifying core values is the foundational step you must take to get your business headed in the right direction.

5 Core Values Many Organizations Share

The more specific your core values, the more relevant your company culture will be. However, this isn’t to say that at a broader level, many companies don’t share similar values, because they do.

It’s easiest to identify your core values by bringing together your management team and questioning each person as to what they believe the business stands for at a fundamental level. If you’re really stuck, here are some of the most common values we encounter:

1. Community - Most businesses are dedicated to the communities they’re in and contribute to society in some way beyond business alone.
2. Innovation - Many businesses share a mission to drive creative, innovative ideas in their respective industries.
3. Integrity - Ethics are important to many employees; they want to feel as if they’re working for a company with integrity and honesty in all that they do.
4. Balance - Companies, especially today, understand the need to promote balance for their employees.
5. Accountability - Accountability can refer to products, services, decisions, and other issues within the organization itself.

What are Your Core Values?

If you’re re-evaluating your company culture or are looking for a place to jumpstart the cultural foundation of your new company, the steps above will help. Getting started can be the most difficult part but with core values identified, creating a broader cultural representation of your brand will be much simpler than you likely imagined.

We want to know your thoughts:

What are the core values of your organization? And how does it help in motivating you and your team?

Share your unique experiences with us on Twitter and Facebook.

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