How organisational values are cemented by staff habits
Core Values
The importance of organisational values
Values define what an organisation cares about most. Values set the foundation for the collective behaviours that become organisational culture. They also define “the way we do things around here” in a way that can set a company apart from the competition.
One of Apple’s core values is “We believe in the simple, not the complex.”. It is a value that differentiates Apple’s product design and brand in market, and has helped contribute to its incredible success.
Hollow values and the transfer gap
As important as organisational values are, there are a number of problems that limit their effectiveness with an organisation.
Three types of organisation values that ineffective at defining culture are:
Aspirational values - values that an organisation needs to be successful in the future but currently lacks.
Permission to play values - values that reflect the minimum behavioural and social standards required of any employee. Examples of these may be honesty and respect.
Hollow values - values that are not reflected by behaviour of employees.
Hollow values are an example of a transfer gap between an organisation’s intentions and actual behaviour.
Bring organisational values to life
Many employees view a launch of values program as a onetime event intended to raise awareness, and not as the beginning of an initiative that is woven into everything they do.
Focusing on ingraining habits that align with core values can bring a values program to life.
Integrity as a organisational value
One of the most common organisational values is integrity. Although a great value, like many common values, integrity can be seen by staff as a vague or ambiguous term. It is important that organisations can identify simple habits that align with their values. In the case of integrity some examples are:
Be on time, all the time
Clarify all action items and deliverables in writing at the end of every meeting
"Close" the accountability loop by letting people know when you fulfil your commitments.
Cementing values with Lasoo
Working on ingraining concrete habits that align with your organisation’s values will bring your organisation’s values to life and cement them in your organisation’s culture.
Lasoo helps organisations to apply the science of habit formation by:
Inspiring staff to grow by trying new habits
Guiding staff through the principles that make habits stick
Rewarding staff for reaching their goals around ingraining habits
