Workplace Resolutions Not Working? Try Values Instead

With the start of every year comes inevitable reminders to reflect on the past year and set goals or intentions for the new one. And it felt like the dawning of a new decade amplified the hype around 2020 even more. While we fully endorse taking the time to conduct a yearly review, set SMART goals and put systems in place to achieve them, the new year is the perfect time to step back and evaluate the foundation of every goal you have for yourself and your organization: your values.

We frequently work with clients to help them define their organizational values. If you feel like you’re setting goals at work and getting nowhere, or just setting goals for the sake of setting goals, maybe it’s a time to take a step back and focus on values instead. 

What are values and why are they so important? Does it seem like values are just words on a page that don’t actually affect your day-to-day experience in the workplace or help you achieve your organizational goals?

Values, and norms, are the internal compass we use to guide ourselves and our organizations. Even when they’re unwritten and unspoken, have a profound effect on employee experience. They shape not just why you do the work you do, but how. They communicate to your team what is expected of them, what their employer values, how they should prioritize, and how to respond to wins and losses. 

Values communicate whether an organization is committed to giving employees clarity, helping them grow professionally, and what kind of work-life balance they can expect. Ultimately, establishing, communicating, and upholding workplace values can prevent burnout–or cause it.

Could you easily write down three to five values your organization holds? If not, here are some ways to begin establishing organizational values and norms or conduct a “values review” to set you up for success in 2020.

Understand what values are–and are not. 

Ideally, you have identified your organization’s mission and vision. Your organization’s values will guide how you operate in order to accomplish that mission. Values remain in place regardless of client, project objective, or even the structure of your organization. They are the essence of your identity. What do you want to be known for in terms of how your company operates? 

Make a list. 

Values are most effective when they’re written down and communicated organization-wide. That way, when someone is operating in a way that doesn’t uphold your values, you can identify the misalignment and figure out why. Consider conducting a “values brainstorm” that gives you a list of 5 values for your organization. If your team knows and understands your organization’s values, they can use them to drive their behavior and decisions.

Build a values framework.

Once you have identified your values, it’s time to figure out how to apply them. First, describe what the value means to your organization. Then, create an example of an internal application of the value (within your organization) and an external application of the value (with clients). For example, if one of your values is accountability, you may describe how that value looks as respecting commitments, being open and honest, and trusting each other. Internally, that may look like having clearly defined roles and project management processes; externally, making sure every project drives toward defined outcomes that you can measure team performance against. 

Make it a team effort. 

If you don’t involve your team in the values-setting process, you may find they continue to operate from unspoken values that are misaligned with your organization’s mission and vision. Consider dedicating a day or two to a values-setting retreat so you get buy-in from leadership or your entire team, depending on the size of your organization.

If you’re an executive, manager or team leader, be sure you’re not taking workplace values for granted. Ask your team what values they think you hold for them and your workplace and what values they’d like to see. Decide what is most important to you–revenue at all cost? A mission that goes beyond the bottom line? Own your values, and make sure your team understands them, affirms them and is in alignment with them.

If you’re a mid-level or even entry-level employee, you can still help shape your organization’s values–and ensure your personal values are set. Consider suggesting a values review to your manager to get the conversation started. 

Bringing it back to Resolutions

Now take a look at the resolutions you were considering–are they aligned with your values? Does being clear on your values change the priority order for your resolutions? When you consider any new goal, any new potential path, measure it against your values and see how that informs your decision. 

Imagine–where could your organization be at the end of 2020 with values in place to guide your workplace this year?