Core Values

Many companies have Core Values, such as Safety, Respect, Honesty, and Sustainability.

Core Values are generally expensive to express. Doing things safely costs time, sourcing green energy costs money, and firing disrespectful employees costs talent.

However, Core Values are generally only costly in the short term. In the long-term, their benefits outweigh their costs. Safe companies have higher employee retention and lower indirect personnel costs (lower insurance premiums, fewer medical leaves, etc.), sustainable companies gain in branding and right to operate, and respectful organizations attract and retain talent better.

The result is that the workforce finds themselves with though daily choices. They ask themselves, should I practice the Core Value, incurring a short-term cost? Is the long-term benefit really worth it? Could my manager evaluate my short-term performance and fire me because my practice of the Core Values incurred short-term costs, but did not materialize any long-term benefit yet?

Hence the importance for managers to perform costly actions signaling that Core Values are worth their short-term costs. Great managers practice the Core Values, daily or weekly, in a public yet sincere manner. They show to everyone that, yes, they do believe that the Core Values are worth it and that, yes, the company actually wants everyone to practice them, even when they seem to be expensive.

For years, I’ve been helping organizations with shaping their operational culture. Write me at [email protected] if you want to know how I can help yours.