Company values are the core values or standards that guide the way you do business. They sum up what your business stands for, influences the organisational culture and drives how and why you do things. While business plans and strategies may change, the core values of your business will usually remain the same. Company values help businesses grow and evolve without losing focus on what is important to them.

Company values: types

There are many different company values a business can take on, usually in various combinations, to help guide them in the way in which they do things. Types of company values include:

• accountability
• collaboration
• customer focus
• diversity
• innovation
• integrity
• leadership
• one team
• partnerships
• passion
• professional
• quality
• respect
• staff development

Example of company values

There is no template for identifying core values for your business. Some businesses may identify only one or two company values that they feel are important to them eg a manufacturing business may highlight their company values as:

• customer focus: we strive to exceed customer expectations when delivering our products and;
• innovation: we continually search for new and better ways of doing things on an operational level and to produce new products

Other businesses may find that multiple company values are needed to help drive what their business does and how it does it. Every business is different and will have its own set of core company values - whether or not these are articulated.

It is important to communicate your business values to employees at all levels so that everyone understands what they mean. This will also help employees know how they will be expected to behave to deliver the business values in practice.

You and your senior managers need to practice the values of your business every day, leading by example, to show employees what is expected of them and encourage them to do the same.

How to raise awareness and understanding of values

There are many practical ways you can raise awareness and build understanding of your core business values among employees. For example, you could:

• publish details of your business values in recruitment and induction materials
• discuss core values with senior managers to make sure they understand the importance of the values to your business - brief managers on business values
• provide a face-to-face induction session regarding the business values and what they mean for all new employees
• create a specific statement or picture of the core business values - for example - on wallcharts, posters, or postcards
• use internal communication channels to explain more and show how business values are guiding behaviour
• recognise and celebrate people who demonstrate the business' values in practice
• quote or refer to the values in your presentations, briefings or written communications so that employees see how important they are to you - for example - articles in newsletters or a blog
• write to colleagues congratulating them on examples of behaviour that delivers the values and celebrate these examples with other employees
• make a symbolic commitment - eg a pledge to business values - that you sign up to and ask employees to follow suit
• hold question time sessions that invite employees to ask you and other senior managers how you are delivering values in practice
• hold an employee workshop to explore values and behaviours
• include regular features or case studies in internal newsletters - or on the intranet if you have one - to show how employees have used the business values to inform their decision making
• create an online quiz so that employees can test their own understanding of the values and explore required behaviours
• invite employees to articulate what values mean to them in their own way - for example by submitting photos, films, or objects
• invite employees to nominate colleagues they feel are really living the core values, and celebrate these colleagues - for example - through internal publications, the intranet or your own messages and briefings
• ask employees or external experts to give lunchtime talks on what the values mean or how other businesses have embedded their values

Managers have a key role to play in employee engagement - they are the crucial link between every business and its staff. You need to help your managers understand what the business values are, what they mean and how to put them into practice.

Practical ways to brief managers on business values

You could consider:

• running a workshop for managers - which could be particularly useful for new managers
• giving all managers a briefing pack that explains the business values, emphasising their importance and explains how employees are expected to deliver them
• providing guidance to managers on how to handle any employees who are failing to demonstrate the core business values in practice through their everyday behaviour
• making sure managers understand that they will be assessed on their own behaviour and the behaviour of their team using the core business values as a basis for the performance management process
• providing mentors for new managers to help them learn how to influence the behaviour of their team - using mentoring to increase employee performance

For more information see how to be an engaging manager.

You could use recruitment and management systems to communicate your business values. This can help make your expectations clear from the moment staff join your business. It can also help assess whether employees are putting the business values into action through their work and interaction with colleagues and customers.

How to embed values in your business

For example, you could:

• include clear information on and examples of your expectations of employees in induction materials
• ensure that when you are recruiting staff that job descriptions and personal objectives align with business values and required behaviours
• conduct separate business value reviews for employees and include 360-degree feedback
• recognise and reward employees who demonstrate supportive behaviour and adhere to the business values
• ensure any policies and practices for dealing with external organisations, such as suppliers, also live up to your organisation's values
• treat leavers with respect so that other employees see that your business continues to value and support the people involved

Ask potential recruits about work culture

When you recruit new staff you could ask candidates about their opinions on work culture, for example:

• What is your ideal working environment?
• What stops you from giving your best?
• Describe your ideal working day - what would it involve and what would you avoid?
• What do you look for in a business and the way it operates?
• What do you value about your working life at your current employer - what have you particularly enjoyed and what elements of its culture have disappointed you?

Involving trusted customers, suppliers, and/or partners as you define your core business values and behaviours can give you a valuable, independent perspective on what it is like to work with your business. In turn, this can help you assess whether there is a gap between what your business says and does on an everyday basis.

Those you approach need to be people who know your business well and have been working with or alongside you for some time. You need to know that they will give you open and honest feedback. If you are the person with primary responsibility for the relationship you should ask another senior manager to do this for you.

Sample questions on business values

Every business will have different issues or areas that it wants to explore but here are some sample questions:

• How would you describe the organisation and the way it does business in three words or phrases?
• What do you see as the core values that underpin the way this organisation does business?
• How do you experience those business values in action - can you give examples?
• Are there any gaps between what the business says and what it does - are there any specific examples?
• Does your experience of working with the business vary depending on the people you deal with?

Share the main themes with all your employees when you communicate business values to employees. Also, let them know how these business values can help the organisation achieve its aims.

Company values are the core values or standards that guide the way you do business. They sum up what your business stands for, influences the organisational culture and drives how and why you do things. While business plans and strategies may change, the core values of your business will usually remain the same. Company values help businesses grow and evolve without losing focus on what is important to them.

Company values: types

There are many different company values a business can take on, usually in various combinations, to help guide them in the way in which they do things. Types of company values include:

• accountability
• collaboration
• customer focus
• diversity
• innovation
• integrity
• leadership
• one team
• partnerships
• passion
• professional
• quality
• respect
• staff development

Example of company values

There is no template for identifying core values for your business. Some businesses may identify only one or two company values that they feel are important to them eg a manufacturing business may highlight their company values as:

• customer focus: we strive to exceed customer expectations when delivering our products and;
• innovation: we continually search for new and better ways of doing things on an operational level and to produce new products

Other businesses may find that multiple company values are needed to help drive what their business does and how it does it. Every business is different and will have its own set of core company values - whether or not these are articulated.

It is important to communicate your business values to employees at all levels so that everyone understands what they mean. This will also help employees know how they will be expected to behave to deliver the business values in practice.

You and your senior managers need to practice the values of your business every day, leading by example, to show employees what is expected of them and encourage them to do the same.

How to raise awareness and understanding of values

There are many practical ways you can raise awareness and build understanding of your core business values among employees. For example, you could:

• publish details of your business values in recruitment and induction materials
• discuss core values with senior managers to make sure they understand the importance of the values to your business - brief managers on business values
• provide a face-to-face induction session regarding the business values and what they mean for all new employees
• create a specific statement or picture of the core business values - for example - on wallcharts, posters, or postcards
• use internal communication channels to explain more and show how business values are guiding behaviour
• recognise and celebrate people who demonstrate the business' values in practice
• quote or refer to the values in your presentations, briefings or written communications so that employees see how important they are to you - for example - articles in newsletters or a blog
• write to colleagues congratulating them on examples of behaviour that delivers the values and celebrate these examples with other employees
• make a symbolic commitment - eg a pledge to business values - that you sign up to and ask employees to follow suit
• hold question time sessions that invite employees to ask you and other senior managers how you are delivering values in practice
• hold an employee workshop to explore values and behaviours
• include regular features or case studies in internal newsletters - or on the intranet if you have one - to show how employees have used the business values to inform their decision making
• create an online quiz so that employees can test their own understanding of the values and explore required behaviours
• invite employees to articulate what values mean to them in their own way - for example by submitting photos, films, or objects
• invite employees to nominate colleagues they feel are really living the core values, and celebrate these colleagues - for example - through internal publications, the intranet or your own messages and briefings
• ask employees or external experts to give lunchtime talks on what the values mean or how other businesses have embedded their values

Managers have a key role to play in employee engagement - they are the crucial link between every business and its staff. You need to help your managers understand what the business values are, what they mean and how to put them into practice.

Practical ways to brief managers on business values

You could consider:

• running a workshop for managers - which could be particularly useful for new managers
• giving all managers a briefing pack that explains the business values, emphasising their importance and explains how employees are expected to deliver them
• providing guidance to managers on how to handle any employees who are failing to demonstrate the core business values in practice through their everyday behaviour
• making sure managers understand that they will be assessed on their own behaviour and the behaviour of their team using the core business values as a basis for the performance management process
• providing mentors for new managers to help them learn how to influence the behaviour of their team - using mentoring to increase employee performance

For more information see how to be an engaging manager.

You could use recruitment and management systems to communicate your business values. This can help make your expectations clear from the moment staff join your business. It can also help assess whether employees are putting the business values into action through their work and interaction with colleagues and customers.

How to embed values in your business

For example, you could:

• include clear information on and examples of your expectations of employees in induction materials
• ensure that when you are recruiting staff that job descriptions and personal objectives align with business values and required behaviours
• conduct separate business value reviews for employees and include 360-degree feedback
• recognise and reward employees who demonstrate supportive behaviour and adhere to the business values
• ensure any policies and practices for dealing with external organisations, such as suppliers, also live up to your organisation's values
• treat leavers with respect so that other employees see that your business continues to value and support the people involved

Ask potential recruits about work culture

When you recruit new staff you could ask candidates about their opinions on work culture, for example:

• What is your ideal working environment?
• What stops you from giving your best?
• Describe your ideal working day - what would it involve and what would you avoid?
• What do you look for in a business and the way it operates?
• What do you value about your working life at your current employer - what have you particularly enjoyed and what elements of its culture have disappointed you?

Involving trusted customers, suppliers, and/or partners as you define your core business values and behaviours can give you a valuable, independent perspective on what it is like to work with your business. In turn, this can help you assess whether there is a gap between what your business says and does on an everyday basis.

Those you approach need to be people who know your business well and have been working with or alongside you for some time. You need to know that they will give you open and honest feedback. If you are the person with primary responsibility for the relationship you should ask another senior manager to do this for you.

Sample questions on business values

Every business will have different issues or areas that it wants to explore but here are some sample questions:

• How would you describe the organisation and the way it does business in three words or phrases?
• What do you see as the core values that underpin the way this organisation does business?
• How do you experience those business values in action - can you give examples?
• Are there any gaps between what the business says and what it does - are there any specific examples?
• Does your experience of working with the business vary depending on the people you deal with?

Share the main themes with all your employees when you communicate business values to employees. Also, let them know how these business values can help the organisation achieve its aims.

Company values are the core values or standards that guide the way you do business. They sum up what your business stands for, influences the organisational culture and drives how and why you do things. While business plans and strategies may change, the core values of your business will usually remain the same. Company values help businesses grow and evolve without losing focus on what is important to them.

Company values: types

There are many different company values a business can take on, usually in various combinations, to help guide them in the way in which they do things. Types of company values include:

• accountability
• collaboration
• customer focus
• diversity
• innovation
• integrity
• leadership
• one team
• partnerships
• passion
• professional
• quality
• respect
• staff development

Example of company values

There is no template for identifying core values for your business. Some businesses may identify only one or two company values that they feel are important to them eg a manufacturing business may highlight their company values as:

• customer focus: we strive to exceed customer expectations when delivering our products and;
• innovation: we continually search for new and better ways of doing things on an operational level and to produce new products

Other businesses may find that multiple company values are needed to help drive what their business does and how it does it. Every business is different and will have its own set of core company values - whether or not these are articulated.

It is important to communicate your business values to employees at all levels so that everyone understands what they mean. This will also help employees know how they will be expected to behave to deliver the business values in practice.

You and your senior managers need to practice the values of your business every day, leading by example, to show employees what is expected of them and encourage them to do the same.

How to raise awareness and understanding of values

There are many practical ways you can raise awareness and build understanding of your core business values among employees. For example, you could:

• publish details of your business values in recruitment and induction materials
• discuss core values with senior managers to make sure they understand the importance of the values to your business - brief managers on business values
• provide a face-to-face induction session regarding the business values and what they mean for all new employees
• create a specific statement or picture of the core business values - for example - on wallcharts, posters, or postcards
• use internal communication channels to explain more and show how business values are guiding behaviour
• recognise and celebrate people who demonstrate the business' values in practice
• quote or refer to the values in your presentations, briefings or written communications so that employees see how important they are to you - for example - articles in newsletters or a blog
• write to colleagues congratulating them on examples of behaviour that delivers the values and celebrate these examples with other employees
• make a symbolic commitment - eg a pledge to business values - that you sign up to and ask employees to follow suit
• hold question time sessions that invite employees to ask you and other senior managers how you are delivering values in practice
• hold an employee workshop to explore values and behaviours
• include regular features or case studies in internal newsletters - or on the intranet if you have one - to show how employees have used the business values to inform their decision making
• create an online quiz so that employees can test their own understanding of the values and explore required behaviours
• invite employees to articulate what values mean to them in their own way - for example by submitting photos, films, or objects
• invite employees to nominate colleagues they feel are really living the core values, and celebrate these colleagues - for example - through internal publications, the intranet or your own messages and briefings
• ask employees or external experts to give lunchtime talks on what the values mean or how other businesses have embedded their values

Managers have a key role to play in employee engagement - they are the crucial link between every business and its staff. You need to help your managers understand what the business values are, what they mean and how to put them into practice.

Practical ways to brief managers on business values

You could consider:

• running a workshop for managers - which could be particularly useful for new managers
• giving all managers a briefing pack that explains the business values, emphasising their importance and explains how employees are expected to deliver them
• providing guidance to managers on how to handle any employees who are failing to demonstrate the core business values in practice through their everyday behaviour
• making sure managers understand that they will be assessed on their own behaviour and the behaviour of their team using the core business values as a basis for the performance management process
• providing mentors for new managers to help them learn how to influence the behaviour of their team - using mentoring to increase employee performance

For more information see how to be an engaging manager.

You could use recruitment and management systems to communicate your business values. This can help make your expectations clear from the moment staff join your business. It can also help assess whether employees are putting the business values into action through their work and interaction with colleagues and customers.

How to embed values in your business

For example, you could:

• include clear information on and examples of your expectations of employees in induction materials
• ensure that when you are recruiting staff that job descriptions and personal objectives align with business values and required behaviours
• conduct separate business value reviews for employees and include 360-degree feedback
• recognise and reward employees who demonstrate supportive behaviour and adhere to the business values
• ensure any policies and practices for dealing with external organisations, such as suppliers, also live up to your organisation's values
• treat leavers with respect so that other employees see that your business continues to value and support the people involved

Ask potential recruits about work culture

When you recruit new staff you could ask candidates about their opinions on work culture, for example:

• What is your ideal working environment?
• What stops you from giving your best?
• Describe your ideal working day - what would it involve and what would you avoid?
• What do you look for in a business and the way it operates?
• What do you value about your working life at your current employer - what have you particularly enjoyed and what elements of its culture have disappointed you?

Involving trusted customers, suppliers, and/or partners as you define your core business values and behaviours can give you a valuable, independent perspective on what it is like to work with your business. In turn, this can help you assess whether there is a gap between what your business says and does on an everyday basis.

Those you approach need to be people who know your business well and have been working with or alongside you for some time. You need to know that they will give you open and honest feedback. If you are the person with primary responsibility for the relationship you should ask another senior manager to do this for you.

Sample questions on business values

Every business will have different issues or areas that it wants to explore but here are some sample questions:

• How would you describe the organisation and the way it does business in three words or phrases?
• What do you see as the core values that underpin the way this organisation does business?
• How do you experience those business values in action - can you give examples?
• Are there any gaps between what the business says and what it does - are there any specific examples?
• Does your experience of working with the business vary depending on the people you deal with?

Share the main themes with all your employees when you communicate business values to employees. Also, let them know how these business values can help the organisation achieve its aims.

Company values are the core values or standards that guide the way you do business. They sum up what your business stands for, influences the organisational culture and drives how and why you do things. While business plans and strategies may change, the core values of your business will usually remain the same. Company values help businesses grow and evolve without losing focus on what is important to them.

Company values: types

There are many different company values a business can take on, usually in various combinations, to help guide them in the way in which they do things. Types of company values include:

• accountability
• collaboration
• customer focus
• diversity
• innovation
• integrity
• leadership
• one team
• partnerships
• passion
• professional
• quality
• respect
• staff development

Example of company values

There is no template for identifying core values for your business. Some businesses may identify only one or two company values that they feel are important to them eg a manufacturing business may highlight their company values as:

• customer focus: we strive to exceed customer expectations when delivering our products and;
• innovation: we continually search for new and better ways of doing things on an operational level and to produce new products

Other businesses may find that multiple company values are needed to help drive what their business does and how it does it. Every business is different and will have its own set of core company values - whether or not these are articulated.

It is important to communicate your business values to employees at all levels so that everyone understands what they mean. This will also help employees know how they will be expected to behave to deliver the business values in practice.

You and your senior managers need to practice the values of your business every day, leading by example, to show employees what is expected of them and encourage them to do the same.

How to raise awareness and understanding of values

There are many practical ways you can raise awareness and build understanding of your core business values among employees. For example, you could:

• publish details of your business values in recruitment and induction materials
• discuss core values with senior managers to make sure they understand the importance of the values to your business - brief managers on business values
• provide a face-to-face induction session regarding the business values and what they mean for all new employees
• create a specific statement or picture of the core business values - for example - on wallcharts, posters, or postcards
• use internal communication channels to explain more and show how business values are guiding behaviour
• recognise and celebrate people who demonstrate the business' values in practice
• quote or refer to the values in your presentations, briefings or written communications so that employees see how important they are to you - for example - articles in newsletters or a blog
• write to colleagues congratulating them on examples of behaviour that delivers the values and celebrate these examples with other employees
• make a symbolic commitment - eg a pledge to business values - that you sign up to and ask employees to follow suit
• hold question time sessions that invite employees to ask you and other senior managers how you are delivering values in practice
• hold an employee workshop to explore values and behaviours
• include regular features or case studies in internal newsletters - or on the intranet if you have one - to show how employees have used the business values to inform their decision making
• create an online quiz so that employees can test their own understanding of the values and explore required behaviours
• invite employees to articulate what values mean to them in their own way - for example by submitting photos, films, or objects
• invite employees to nominate colleagues they feel are really living the core values, and celebrate these colleagues - for example - through internal publications, the intranet or your own messages and briefings
• ask employees or external experts to give lunchtime talks on what the values mean or how other businesses have embedded their values

Managers have a key role to play in employee engagement - they are the crucial link between every business and its staff. You need to help your managers understand what the business values are, what they mean and how to put them into practice.

Practical ways to brief managers on business values

You could consider:

• running a workshop for managers - which could be particularly useful for new managers
• giving all managers a briefing pack that explains the business values, emphasising their importance and explains how employees are expected to deliver them
• providing guidance to managers on how to handle any employees who are failing to demonstrate the core business values in practice through their everyday behaviour
• making sure managers understand that they will be assessed on their own behaviour and the behaviour of their team using the core business values as a basis for the performance management process
• providing mentors for new managers to help them learn how to influence the behaviour of their team - using mentoring to increase employee performance

For more information see how to be an engaging manager.

You could use recruitment and management systems to communicate your business values. This can help make your expectations clear from the moment staff join your business. It can also help assess whether employees are putting the business values into action through their work and interaction with colleagues and customers.

How to embed values in your business

For example, you could:

• include clear information on and examples of your expectations of employees in induction materials
• ensure that when you are recruiting staff that job descriptions and personal objectives align with business values and required behaviours
• conduct separate business value reviews for employees and include 360-degree feedback
• recognise and reward employees who demonstrate supportive behaviour and adhere to the business values
• ensure any policies and practices for dealing with external organisations, such as suppliers, also live up to your organisation's values
• treat leavers with respect so that other employees see that your business continues to value and support the people involved

Ask potential recruits about work culture

When you recruit new staff you could ask candidates about their opinions on work culture, for example:

• What is your ideal working environment?
• What stops you from giving your best?
• Describe your ideal working day - what would it involve and what would you avoid?
• What do you look for in a business and the way it operates?
• What do you value about your working life at your current employer - what have you particularly enjoyed and what elements of its culture have disappointed you?

Involving trusted customers, suppliers, and/or partners as you define your core business values and behaviours can give you a valuable, independent perspective on what it is like to work with your business. In turn, this can help you assess whether there is a gap between what your business says and does on an everyday basis.

Those you approach need to be people who know your business well and have been working with or alongside you for some time. You need to know that they will give you open and honest feedback. If you are the person with primary responsibility for the relationship you should ask another senior manager to do this for you.

Sample questions on business values

Every business will have different issues or areas that it wants to explore but here are some sample questions:

• How would you describe the organisation and the way it does business in three words or phrases?
• What do you see as the core values that underpin the way this organisation does business?
• How do you experience those business values in action - can you give examples?
• Are there any gaps between what the business says and what it does - are there any specific examples?
• Does your experience of working with the business vary depending on the people you deal with?

Share the main themes with all your employees when you communicate business values to employees. Also, let them know how these business values can help the organisation achieve its aims.

Company values are the core values or standards that guide the way you do business. They sum up what your business stands for, influences the organisational culture and drives how and why you do things. While business plans and strategies may change, the core values of your business will usually remain the same. Company values help businesses grow and evolve without losing focus on what is important to them.

Company values: types

There are many different company values a business can take on, usually in various combinations, to help guide them in the way in which they do things. Types of company values include:

• accountability
• collaboration
• customer focus
• diversity
• innovation
• integrity
• leadership
• one team
• partnerships
• passion
• professional
• quality
• respect
• staff development

Example of company values

There is no template for identifying core values for your business. Some businesses may identify only one or two company values that they feel are important to them eg a manufacturing business may highlight their company values as:

• customer focus: we strive to exceed customer expectations when delivering our products and;
• innovation: we continually search for new and better ways of doing things on an operational level and to produce new products

Other businesses may find that multiple company values are needed to help drive what their business does and how it does it. Every business is different and will have its own set of core company values - whether or not these are articulated.

It is important to communicate your business values to employees at all levels so that everyone understands what they mean. This will also help employees know how they will be expected to behave to deliver the business values in practice.

You and your senior managers need to practice the values of your business every day, leading by example, to show employees what is expected of them and encourage them to do the same.

How to raise awareness and understanding of values

There are many practical ways you can raise awareness and build understanding of your core business values among employees. For example, you could:

• publish details of your business values in recruitment and induction materials
• discuss core values with senior managers to make sure they understand the importance of the values to your business - brief managers on business values
• provide a face-to-face induction session regarding the business values and what they mean for all new employees
• create a specific statement or picture of the core business values - for example - on wallcharts, posters, or postcards
• use internal communication channels to explain more and show how business values are guiding behaviour
• recognise and celebrate people who demonstrate the business' values in practice
• quote or refer to the values in your presentations, briefings or written communications so that employees see how important they are to you - for example - articles in newsletters or a blog
• write to colleagues congratulating them on examples of behaviour that delivers the values and celebrate these examples with other employees
• make a symbolic commitment - eg a pledge to business values - that you sign up to and ask employees to follow suit
• hold question time sessions that invite employees to ask you and other senior managers how you are delivering values in practice
• hold an employee workshop to explore values and behaviours
• include regular features or case studies in internal newsletters - or on the intranet if you have one - to show how employees have used the business values to inform their decision making
• create an online quiz so that employees can test their own understanding of the values and explore required behaviours
• invite employees to articulate what values mean to them in their own way - for example by submitting photos, films, or objects
• invite employees to nominate colleagues they feel are really living the core values, and celebrate these colleagues - for example - through internal publications, the intranet or your own messages and briefings
• ask employees or external experts to give lunchtime talks on what the values mean or how other businesses have embedded their values

Managers have a key role to play in employee engagement - they are the crucial link between every business and its staff. You need to help your managers understand what the business values are, what they mean and how to put them into practice.

Practical ways to brief managers on business values

You could consider:

• running a workshop for managers - which could be particularly useful for new managers
• giving all managers a briefing pack that explains the business values, emphasising their importance and explains how employees are expected to deliver them
• providing guidance to managers on how to handle any employees who are failing to demonstrate the core business values in practice through their everyday behaviour
• making sure managers understand that they will be assessed on their own behaviour and the behaviour of their team using the core business values as a basis for the performance management process
• providing mentors for new managers to help them learn how to influence the behaviour of their team - using mentoring to increase employee performance

For more information see how to be an engaging manager.

You could use recruitment and management systems to communicate your business values. This can help make your expectations clear from the moment staff join your business. It can also help assess whether employees are putting the business values into action through their work and interaction with colleagues and customers.

How to embed values in your business

For example, you could:

• include clear information on and examples of your expectations of employees in induction materials
• ensure that when you are recruiting staff that job descriptions and personal objectives align with business values and required behaviours
• conduct separate business value reviews for employees and include 360-degree feedback
• recognise and reward employees who demonstrate supportive behaviour and adhere to the business values
• ensure any policies and practices for dealing with external organisations, such as suppliers, also live up to your organisation's values
• treat leavers with respect so that other employees see that your business continues to value and support the people involved

Ask potential recruits about work culture

When you recruit new staff you could ask candidates about their opinions on work culture, for example:

• What is your ideal working environment?
• What stops you from giving your best?
• Describe your ideal working day - what would it involve and what would you avoid?
• What do you look for in a business and the way it operates?
• What do you value about your working life at your current employer - what have you particularly enjoyed and what elements of its culture have disappointed you?

Involving trusted customers, suppliers, and/or partners as you define your core business values and behaviours can give you a valuable, independent perspective on what it is like to work with your business. In turn, this can help you assess whether there is a gap between what your business says and does on an everyday basis.

Those you approach need to be people who know your business well and have been working with or alongside you for some time. You need to know that they will give you open and honest feedback. If you are the person with primary responsibility for the relationship you should ask another senior manager to do this for you.

Sample questions on business values

Every business will have different issues or areas that it wants to explore but here are some sample questions:

• How would you describe the organisation and the way it does business in three words or phrases?
• What do you see as the core values that underpin the way this organisation does business?
• How do you experience those business values in action - can you give examples?
• Are there any gaps between what the business says and what it does - are there any specific examples?
• Does your experience of working with the business vary depending on the people you deal with?

Share the main themes with all your employees when you communicate business values to employees. Also, let them know how these business values can help the organisation achieve its aims.