Team Values - Values For Employees To Believe In

Most companies have corporate values (historically called core values) which are foundational principles that provide long-term guidance for all employees across an organization. Few companies have what I'm calling team values which are dynamic and are expressed through the daily operations and interactions within specific teams. Both are essential in cultivating a thriving, healthy organizational culture, each serving a unique but complementary purpose.

Key Differences Between Corporate Values and Team Values

ONE: Universal vs. Team-Specific

Corporate Values are universal principles that apply to every individual within the organization, such as accountability, collaboration, innovation, integrity, diversity, and honesty. Such values define the company’s identity, shaping the broader culture across the entire company.? Usually, corporate values are long lasting and seldom change.

Team Values, on the other hand, are specific to individual teams—whether by department, project group, or location. These values are crafted to reflect the unique dynamics, goals, and challenges of each team.? This could include adapting the organization’s corporate values to their distinct context. Team Values are adaptive and change as the environment changes or they become integrated as a part of normal ongoing operations.

TWO: Abstract vs. Action-Oriented

Corporate Values are more abstract and philosophical and do not have specific, actionable guidelines for employee day-to-day behavior.

Team Values, in contrast, are more concrete and action-oriented. For the following examples, each would include concrete details for how to embody the values in their everyday behaviors and actions.

·???????? An IT team with Continuous Learning as a value might have mini-TED talk events where members present new tools or methods.

·???????? A Customer Support team with Empathy as a value might have role-playing exercises to improve communication and customer interactions.

·???????? A Finance team with Precision as a value might have a peer review system to ensure accuracy in financial reports and foster learning from each other’s expertise.

THREE: Static vs. Adaptive

Corporate Values tend to be fixed over time, providing long-term guidance for the entire organization. They are often viewed as foundational principles that form the company’s identity and are unlikely to change frequently, serving as the bedrock of the organization’s culture.

Team Values, by contrast, are dynamic and evolve in response to changes within the team’s environment, challenges, or goals. These values are adaptable and can shift as team dynamics change or as they integrate new practices into their daily workflows. Over time, once certain behaviors linked to team values become ingrained in the team’s culture, these values may no longer need to be explicitly stated or highlighted—they become second nature, embedded into routine operations.

A company value and a team value might have the same name but differences are distinguished? by the above three points.?

The Current State of Company Culture

While organizations may understand the importance of culture, there is a significant gap between recognizing its value and effectively implementing it.

·???????? 91% of executives acknowledge that culture is critical to their company’s success.

·???????? 79% of executives consider culture one of the top value drivers for business growth.

·???????? Only 16% of company executives feel their culture is where it needs to be.

·???????? Only 30% of employees report feeling engaged in their work.

·???????? Only 27% of employees strongly agree they believe in their company’s core values.

·???????? Just 23% of employees feel they can actively apply their organization’s values in their daily tasks.

·???????? A record low of 21% of employees strongly agree that their organization cares about wellbeing.

These statistics indicate that while companies may have established corporate values, there's a need for something more dynamic and actionable. The challenge lies in creating values that translate into tangible actions and truly resonate with employees. This gap is precisely why it’s important to distinguish between corporate values and team values.

Culture Quest: A Practical Tool for Building Team Values

The Culture Quest platform offers a simple, step-by-step approach to creating team values. Its greatest strength lies in helping teams define their team values with actionable practices that align with the organization’s mission. Once these values are developed, they are made available online for all team members to review, provide feedback, and suggest improvements.

As team values evolve with changing circumstances, the Culture Quest platform ensures that values are adaptive, providing a living document that can continuously reflect the team’s needs.

To learn more about how this process works and to try the tool for free, visit: www.employeesforcultureinnovation.com.

Closing

At the heart of building a thriving organizational culture is the ability to create cohesiveness. This paper's primary purpose is to introduce the concept of team values which directly foster unity within groups. When team members share a set of values and have clear, actionable steps to implement them, they develop a deeper sense of connection, collaboration, and mutual trust. This leads to a community of cohesive teams representing an overall cohesive workforce.