As a recruiter one of the questions I ask when speaking to potential employees is ‘What’s important to you in a role?'

I can unequivocally say that in the last year ‘being able to make a difference/help with positive change’ has been the standout response. I have had candidates choose their values over their pay, and I think we can take a lot from that.

People want to feel that what they're doing is good, and they're interested in doing positive things that actually make a difference. If that’s what motivates people, I feel like business owners need to listen up.

This doesn't mean that professional development, flexible hours, bringing your dog to work, having your birthday off and the choice to work from home aren't also important!

Values: 

So how can we look at authentically encompassing social or environmental positive change? See that word I snuck in there ‘authentically’? To be truly authentic you have to move in line with your values.

To achieve this, you first need to develop your values, making them meaningful and relevant to your business. What do you want your company culture to look like? How do you want your business to behave? How should people feel? How should the business be seen or how should people feel about it?

Your values do not have to be set in stone, they evolve and grow as you do and guess what? If you include your current employees in building these values you have their buy-in too, plus you’re all accountable. The values that you come up with should be revisited and visible for all to see.

Team Culture:

Feeling included, valued and listened to within the team is all the motivation people need to get out of bed in the morning. When people willingly invest their time in your team, it's a testament to the power of teamwork, as the saying goes, "Teamwork makes the dream work."

On the flip side, if you claim 'teamwork' as a core value but experience weak communication, isolated departments, and a lack of team-building activities, it undermines collaboration and camaraderie among employees, leading to lower productivity and morale, which won't be great for your company culture.  

Employee Well-being:

Creating a positive employee experience and a workplace where everyone feels valued and supported boosts their happiness and engagement, leading to better productivity and job satisfaction. Keeping talented people around not only saves money on hiring but also keeps important knowledge within the company.

On the flip side, a toxic work culture with long hours, high stress, and little care for mental and physical health brings down morale and makes people leave their jobs more often. This not only hurts individual performance but also puts the health of the whole company at risk.

In conclusion 

It’s all common sense when you take a step back and look at the big picture. So, I challenge you to look at your values and ask yourself if you are using them to support decision-making within your team. Is it time for a refresh and can you ask your team their thoughts?

Get them right, make them spread like wildfire around your organisation and see everyone thrive! Now that’s a key way of attracting amazing and qualified candidates and encouraging them to choose you. 

EASI NZ would love to help your local businesses and ensure that your operations, policies, and procedures all reflect your company values and how you would like to present your business to potential customers. Contact us for more information about aligning your HR strategy to fit your business needs.