Does your organisation have the right VABEs?

One of the biggest disconnects in the cultures of many post COVID workplaces is the inability of organisational leaders to understand and align their own VABEs with those of their people. Employees have resigned in their droves, and like being jilted at the altar, leaders scratch their heads in bewilderment and genuinely wonder why.

Workplace culture is the character and personality of an organisation. It's composed of an organisation's values, traditions, beliefs, behaviours and attitudes, reflected by everyone working in it, especially its leaders. Having a positive workplace culture is key to delivering quality anything, whether a service, product or performance.

In the same way as holding a 12 step meeting in a cocktail bar should foreshadow imminent danger, many leaders are perilously close falling off the positive culture wagon. Some arguably were never on it. It comes as no surprise that Tesla lays-off 10% of its workforce yet Elon Musk receives a €23 billion bonus. Coinbase with a history of poor VABEs rescind offers after promising the contrary, when those individuals had already given up their jobs to join the company.

We have seen mind boggling threats, ill-considered tweets, intimidation, name-calling, salary cutting and tone deaf mass layoffs via Zoom and prerecorded videos. Those leaders are clearly not feeling the VABEs in their own workplaces or even a wider context and probably don't even care.

But will they pay the price eventually?

What are VABEs?

Culture is about the?what?people do and the?how?and why organisations do that. It brings together the organisations VABEs. These are the Values, Assumptions, Beliefs and Expectations which make up the fabric of an organisational culture.

• Values are all the things that we consider to be important, which correspond with an organisational culture. They are showcased by the daily actions of its leaders and become adopted by all other members. This can be explicitly via policies and protocols, frequently incorporated into official Codes of Conduct documents or unconsciously expressed by the mantra "this is the way we do things here." Toxic leaders = toxic culture.
• Assumptions are the deeper levels of an organisation's culture which start as shared values. They eventually mature into embedded unwritten thoughts and feelings. Through consistent repetition it means we take them for granted.
• Beliefs are an acceptance that even though there is no proof, we believe certain things to exist and be true. We might find this in lines we frequently hear such as "all employees are treated fairly in performance appraisals" or "we hire the best candidates."
• Expectations are beliefs that something may happen in the future based on our past experience or organisational view of situations. We have seen this in sacrifice culture of many businesses which regularly means a willingness to work excessive hours, travel, take on conflict, and “do what it takes" and "go the extra mile." These expectations automatically create pressure on all to conform, and if they don't or can't, they are then found lacking.

Changing times

Career opportunities tend to be linked to benchmarks, and standards which are set by the dominant group which conform to the organisational VABEs. Sometimes they are even unspoken. So unless you are working in a beauty salon or other traditionally very female environment, organisational VABEs tend to be male coded.

When an organisation's VABEs are out of sync with those of their employees it's like stepping out for air on a plane. It's not going to end well. The need for leaders to have clear insight into the driving issues and motivations of their employees is now more important than ever. It's not just how they feel about their jobs, but all other elements of their lives. This could be around their families, childcare, health and wellness concerns as well as broader personal and social interests.

VABE alignment

Issues around climate change, diversity and inclusion, politics and environmental concerns which used to be off limits in the workplace, are now all part of wider employer branding challenges which needs to be showcased in the public domain. When Coinbase said no political discussions at work they lost 60 personnel. It's also not just how companies feel about these sensitive issues, but the action they are actually taking. Phrases such as white, green and gender washing are now part of our vocabularies.

Even before the pandemic Glassdoor’s Mission & Culture Survey 2019?found that over 77% of adults across four countries (the United States, UK, France, Germany) would consider a company’s culture before applying for a job there, and 79% would consider a company’s mission and purpose.

Post pandemic research from the World Economic Forum found that women are particularly committed to sustainability and climate change issues. "Almost three quarters said they avoid companies they don't think value climate change and 68% said they seek out sustainable brands.

Building Trust

Recruiting people we trust plays a key role in hiring and promotion processes, reflected in our search for cultural fit, the old school holy grail of recruitment. I have heard interviewers say about a candidate?“he/she is not really an x company type,” without specifying exactly what that means. In over 25 years in executive search I have never heard anyone say "I don't like/trust that person" let's hire them"

So building trust is at the root of creating a culture of belonging and involves more than hiring people like ourselves. It isn't just about becoming mates with your co-workers, but forging relationships with our immediate bosses and senior leaders. It is about creating a "fear-less" culture and spaces where everyone feels they can speak up without worrying about reprisals or judgement.

This is especially relevant for attracting and retaining groups which are frequently excluded. Very often candidates adjust their style to gain entry to, and then acceptance in a company, so that they fit in, which means they have to compromise. The Glassdoor study found over 50% of the 5000 participants responded that "company?culture is more important than salary when it comes to job satisfaction."

Employees who "cover" or adapt to gain acceptance are more likely to leave and be less productive.

Infographic from Deloitte

Intentional Inclusion

Inclusion starts with "I" and our own individual and intentional behaviour. Every single human interaction can produce both positive and negative results, which means we all need to become ever more mindful of our own actions which can potentially impact anyone's perception of belonging.

Employees feel that level of acceptance when they their work is recognised and adds value Sharing organisational vision and goals is vital and has to be lived, not just talked about but is in tune with the vision and values of their employees. Preferably they will be actively involved in designing a culture which fosters their well-being, so they understand how they can best contribute.

Good VABE-rations come about in any organisation when employees feel pride in their work, have job satisfaction and are in tune with the overall purpose of their company. All of these elements serve as an anchor for that vital culture of belonging.

People want to feel supported, connected, and to be seen and heard.

It's so simple, yet so hard to achieve, and easy to get wrong. And with a potential downturn on the horizon will the pendulum swing and employee VABEs go by the wayside?

************************

Want to strengthen and diversify your talent pipeline and build more inclusive inclusive hiring processes? Find out how to manage the biases in your recruitment and promotion processes.?Read more about our Corporate Services here.

? My goal is to increase the number of gender balanced, diverse and inclusive workplaces where everyone feels secure and reaches their potential.?Read more on services for individuals

? Like this newsletter? Please hit subscribe and share with your H.R. contacts.