Employees say our values don’t match our culture. How can we fix this?
Bright Ideas by ColorVizion Lab is the go-to newsletter for people leaders transforming the talent experience. We answer the tough questions people leaders face daily—with straight talk and real solutions. Desiree Booker, CEO of ColorVizion Lab, answers this week’s question.
❔ Question of the week: “Employees say our values don’t match our culture. How can we fix this?”
Leaders often think company values shape culture, viewing them as aspirational statements for employees to follow. But here’s the reality: values don’t always match the lived experiences of employees.
Real culture is defined by daily interactions, policies, leadership behaviors, and how people are treated. When there’s a disconnect between values and reality, it leads to disengagement and high turnover.
People leaders must tackle this issue head-on, but what’s the best approach?
Let’s dive into the heart of the issue and how people leaders can ensure a company’s culture is aligned with employees’ lived experiences.
❌ What’s causing the disconnect between culture and values?
If a company claims its values are transparency, innovation, and work-life balance, employees expect these values to show up in their daily work lives.
They want to see how leadership communicates, what creative problem-solving looks like, how managers respect personal time, and what development opportunities are available.
If not, “values” become another buzzword, and it’s often a result of company leaders putting their time and effort into other business priorities.
This is where employee trust takes a hit and becomes a danger to a company’s culture and bottom line. In fact, 42 percent of executives say the biggest threat to productivity is when employees lack trust in their employer, according to PwC’s 2024 Trust Survey.
Unmet expectations are a surefire way to erode employee confidence and threaten long-term success. When a company fails to deliver on hiring promises, this creates a bait-and-switch scenario that pushes talent away, harming both the employee experience and the company’s reputation.
When Desiree Booker, CEO of ColorVizion Lab, was a Career Coach, she often met with people who were frustrated by their company’s broken commitments.
“I knew someone who worked at a company for seven months where career development was a stated value. He took ownership of his role, implemented new systems, and communicated his learning goals, expecting his manager to support his development as promised. After 11 months, there was no progress on his development goals and he questioned if he’d be stuck in that role with that salary, or if he’ll ever gain new skills to advance. Eventually, he felt like he couldn’t trust his manager and started rethinking his future.”
Desiree Booker-Sharpe
When companies lose high-achieving employees, they also lose the training, human capital, and knowledge that employees gained during their tenure.
Gallup estimates that replacing leaders and managers costs around 200% of their salary, replacing professionals in technical roles costs 80% of their salary, and replacing frontline employees costs 40% of their salary. However, 42% of people who voluntarily quit say their departure could have been prevented.
“That employee is not going to say he had a good experience and encourage people to apply there,” Desiree says. “This hurts your external talent brand and ability to attract new employees.”
🚧 Why people leaders are left to manage the fallout when values clash
When people leaders are left to clean up the mess, they have difficulty communicating company values, maintaining trust with employees, and providing effective coaching and performance management.
“I know someone whose manager scheduled a team breakfast to celebrate the team’s hard work after a demanding business cycle,” Desiree says. “The person was looking forward to the event, but at the last minute, the manager canceled it due to upcoming business demands.”
If a company’s stated value is work-life balance, but there’s a culture of constantly prioritizing work over personal life, this sends the message that business is more important than people.
The growing distrust becomes a people leader’s problem and they’re expected to balance business demands with building relationships. This situation can put them at a crossroads, where they may have to choose between upholding their own values and beliefs versus following the company’s requirements.
“This clash can create an internal moral dilemma, leading to an emotional and mental strain that is unique to the middle management position.”
Desiree Booker-Sharpe
🧠 How can people leaders close the gap between values and culture?
Desiree shares some practical steps:
Lead by example: People leaders must “walk the talk” by consistently demonstrating company values through their actions, decision-making, and interactions with employees. When you embody the values, it sets the tone for the entire team.
Recognize and reward alignment: When employees exemplify company values, recognize and reward them. This not only reinforces the importance of these values, but also motivates others to follow suit.
Encourage open communication: Build a two-way feedback loop – people leaders should be as open to receiving feedback as they are to giving it.
Tie performance to values: Performance evaluations, job descriptions, and KPIs can be aligned with company values. At ColorVizion Lab, for example, the team has achieved strong retention rates by making sure the company’s values are reflected in every aspect of the employee lifecycle, from hiring to performance reviews.
Build transparent hiring practices: Be clear about what you’re looking for in a role and how candidates are assessed so potential employees can experience the company’s values from the very start.
Align values with business goals: Integrate company values into the company’s goals and business objectives. Show how these values drive results and make sure every business move stays true to them.
Hold senior leaders accountable: Check in on how senior leaders are living out the company values in their decisions and actions. Give them honest feedback and ask for their commitment when fixing any gaps.
“When employees’ lived experiences align with your company values, you create this harmonious workplace and a high-performing ecosystem. Employees feel they can be honest, they have a deeper sense of purpose in their roles, and are more empowered to be innovative and autonomous.”
Desiree Booker-Sharpe
📞Calling all people leaders: What questions do you have on talent, culture, or employee experience issues?
No question is off the table. In fact, we want people leaders to submit the questions they often avoid.
Submit your questions here and we might feature them in our next newsletter with tailored advice from the ColorVizion Lab team. (If your question is chosen, we keep your identity confidential!
📰 Story of the week: Employee burnout has reached an all-time high
Cynicism, exhaustion, and reduced efficacy: The three dimensions of burnout people leaders should look out for in employees, according to a recent article by HR Brew.
With more layoffs and budget cuts coming, companies are pushing employees to do more with less, leading to a rise in these stress factors. How can people leaders tackle these issues so the second half of 2024 ends on a high note? Read the full article here.
📩 Are you looking to refine your talent messaging and employee communications? ColorVizion Lab is here to help.
If employees see a disconnect between your values and culture, it’s time for action. Our consultants will align your talent brand messaging with your mission and goals, closing the gap between employees and leadership.
🛠️Learn more about our services
