Every organization has values. Curating the stories about the behaviors and decisions that employees make, based on company values, is also part of employer branding. The HR department and, in particular, its internal communications component, shapes those stories.
What does it mean to be a values-based organization — and why should you strive for it?
Here are 3 very good reasons.
- An organization that places its values first (even above profit) can form closer bonds and longer tenures with its employees
- Organizations that hire to their values, and promote those values to the workforce, create a common vision and a culture of shared priorities. The values guide employees’ decisions and actions, making it easier for each of them to contribute to the company’s mission.
- Longer-tenured employees and more productive employees contribute more money to the organizations that employ them.
So it’s intrinsic to an organization’s success that they link their company’s culture, talent, and people practices. To achieve this consistency, the human resources department must define the culture and employee experience as it reflects the company’s values. HR must also keep employee performance continuously aligned with strategic goals of the company. Being a values-based organization can be connected as a brand concept through HR and employee communications.
HR and internal communications are significant stakeholders in defining and promoting the culture of the organization, producing a vision and value proposition for each “center of excellence.” Moreover, they can create a line of sight from the culture to the employees that keeps them committed to achieving the business goals. The HR department has the sole ability to recruit, manage, and engage talent in a way that’s aligned with the company’s mission and culture.
Believe it or not, there are still many organizations that have no such values-based foundation upon which to build. They may have a top-down corporate culture, with management leading by directives instead of by example. There may be little sense of community, as departments operate under conflicting priorities. Employees may not be hired for their affinity to the company’s values and feel less of a connection to their employers…who then wonder why their workers aren’t contributing their fullest to the company’s success.
Good news to them — I’m offering a free webinar on this very subject — “HR Branding: Connecting the Dots from Culture to Talent Management.” It should have far-reaching benefits to any human resources professional looking to articulate their company’s values so all employees travel the same road to success. The webinar will be presented on Wednesday, April 30, from 2-3 pm EDT. Sign up for this valuable online presentation here.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to align your company culture with the employee experience!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jody Ordioni is the author of “The Talent Brand.” In her role as Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Brandemix, she leads the firm in creating brand-aligned talent communications that connect employees to cultures, companies, and business goals. She engages with HR professionals and corporate teams on how to build and promote talent brands, and implement best-practice talent acquisition and engagement strategies across all media and platforms. She has been named a "recruitment thought leader to follow" and her mission is to integrate marketing, human resources, internal communications, and social media to foster a seamless brand experience through the employee lifecycle.
