Aligning Employee Behaviour with Your Company Values
How can values and behaviour in the workplace effectively complement each other? Stellar offers six strategies that any small business owner can implement.
We’ve said it before: CEOs are the “Chief Energy Officers” of your respective companies, meaning it’s your job to build, nurture, and take full responsibility for the culture of your business. A significant part of this is to foster an environment that promotes unity, engagement, and productivity among employees.
A thriving company culture hinges on employee behaviour aligning values and behaviour in the workplace. Business leaders need to cultivate such a culture, but how can this be achieved? According to Lauren Ayers, Senior Consultant at Stellar Consulting and a human resources practitioner, culture must be created by design rather than left to form naturally.
How can culture be created by design?
We agree with Warren Buffett when he once said, “Culture, more than rule books, determines how an organisation behaves.” Often, businesses find that their culture evolves unexpectedly due to the people involved. While this may initially sound promising, it can actually lead to a situation where the company’s original principles are no longer reflected. It’s crucial to intentionally design a culture that aligns with your company values from the outset.
To help you achieve this, we've sought Lauren’s expertise to craft a comprehensive list of strategies for creating a well-aligned company culture:
Gather input from the team
Employees should be actively involved in defining the company’s values. This collaborative approach helps everyone feel invested and aligned with these values, even if personal beliefs differ slightly, as long as they are not contradictory. It also guarantees a clear understanding and commitment to the collective values, which is crucial for fostering a cohesive culture. Whilst the core values really won’t change once established, it can be helpful to regularly revisit and refine these values with team input. This helps maintain a dynamic and relevant culture, only reestablishing them after major changes occur.
Ensure a cultural fit upon recruitment
Not every qualified candidate will be a good fit for your company culture. It's not enough to hire someone solely based on their skills; they must also align with your company’s values and personality. Introducing your company culture early in the recruitment process helps determine if candidates are a good fit. Make sure new hires understand and are committed to upholding company values from the start. This can be achieved through a well-defined onboarding process that emphasises cultural alignment and provides clear examples of expected behaviours and attitudes. By doing so, you lay a strong foundation for new hires to integrate seamlessly into the existing culture.
For example, here’s an excerpt from Stellar’s culture strategy paper, which lists behaviours associated with our core values. Sharing this with potential employees before hiring them allows them to assess whether they are able and willing to integrate into the culture we’ve established at Stellar.
Foster collective ownership
It can take time for employees to fully own the company culture, especially new hires. Initially, management may need to guide and reinforce cultural behaviours, but over time, encourage a culture where everyone, regardless of hierarchy, takes accountability for maintaining and promoting the company’s values. This involves creating opportunities for employees to contribute to cultural initiatives and recognising those who exemplify the desired values. By promoting a sense of ownership, you empower employees to become active stewards of the organisational culture and the appropriate employee behaviour.
Address digressions promptly
Don’t let deviations from the company’s values slide. Addressing issues quickly helps reinforce the importance of adhering to the culture and prevents negative behaviours from becoming ingrained. By holding employees accountable for behaviours that deviate from the company's values, you can ensure consistency and better alignment throughout the organisation, fostering a strong and unified culture. Implementing regular feedback mechanisms can support this proactive approach.
Lead by example
Leaders play a crucial role in shaping company culture. Their behaviours, decisions, and communication styles have a ripple effect throughout the organisation, shaping the overall culture. This is why it’s important that leaders adhere to the company values themselves and uphold them consistently. It’s not enough for corporations to claim a set of values if the leadership isn’t aligned with them. Business owners should be open, transparent, and demonstrate the company values in their actions and decisions.
Maintain open and transparent communication
Regularly communicate the values and cultural expectations through various methods and modes. Never assume that employees understand the values. Instead, make it a point to reinforce them continually. Encourage feedback and dialogue around these values. Create opportunities for employees to ask questions, express concerns, and provide suggestions on how to better embody the company's values. This two-way communication fosters a more inclusive environment where employees feel heard and valued, strengthening their connection to the company culture.
With a Stellar consultant, you can align values and behaviour in the workplace
While these steps may seem straightforward, leading the journey to a deliberately crafted culture is no simple task. You'll need strong leadership to make sure everything is well-implemented and maintained, a team that genuinely believes in your company vision and values, and a commitment to continuous improvement and adaptation. It's a challenging yet rewarding process that demands dedication and expertise.
Stellar Consulting is comprised of experts with decades of experience in building and refining company cultures that endure and thrive. We work with business leaders across various industries to create environments where employees are engaged, values and behaviour in the workplace are complementary, and success is sustained. Our tailored approach ensures that the culture we help you build is not only aligned with your goals but also resilient to the changing dynamics of the business world. Visit this page to learn more about us.
