Workplace core values are the principles that guide how employees behave, interact, and perform within a company. These values define the organizational culture, shape decision-making, and drive employee engagement. However, knowing your core values is only the first step. The real challenge lies in how to put core values into practice. In this article, we’ll explore actionable strategies that help integrate core values into the workplace, build a value-driven culture, and ensure these values are lived by every employee, every day.

1. Solicit Feedback on Core Values Regularly

One of the most effective ways to ensure your core values are being put into practice is to ask for regular feedback. This not only helps you gauge whether employees are aligning with the company’s core values but also creates an open channel for communication between leadership and staff.

Methods for Gathering Feedback:

• Surveys: Regular anonymous surveys can help assess how employees perceive the implementation of core values. Use multiple-choice questions and open-ended responses for a mix of quantitative and qualitative insights.
• Focus Groups: Small group discussions provide an opportunity for employees to elaborate on how they see core values in action or where they feel values are lacking.
• One-on-One Meetings: Regular check-ins between managers and team members can offer valuable insights into individual experiences and challenges with applying core values.

Why It’s Important:

Asking for feedback on core values helps identify gaps between the values as stated by the company and the values as practiced by employees. It also makes employees feel heard and valued, which further strengthens engagement with the organization’s values.

2. Keep Company Values Top of Mind

To put core values into practice, they need to be consistently present in the workplace. If employees aren’t constantly reminded of the core values, they’re unlikely to be top of mind when it comes to decision-making and interactions.

Strategies for Keeping Values Visible:

• Value Posters: Display posters or digital screens in common areas that highlight core values. Place them in break rooms, hallways, and near entrances to ensure they’re visible every day.
• Internal Newsletters: Use company newsletters to highlight stories of how employees are living the values, keeping the core values front and center.
• Email Signatures & Intranet: Include core values in email signatures or on the company intranet as a continuous reminder.

Why It’s Important:

Constant visibility of core values encourages employees to internalize them. When values are top of mind, it becomes easier for employees to embody them in their behavior and decision-making.

3. Recognize Employees for Living the Core Values

Recognition is a powerful motivator. One of the best ways to put core values into practice is by actively recognizing employees who exemplify those values in their work.

Effective Recognition Methods:

• Employee of the Month: Reward employees who demonstrate the core values in their everyday actions. Acknowledge their contributions in front of the entire company.
• Peer Recognition: Implement a system where employees can recognize their peers for upholding core values, such as “Value Champion” awards or shout-outs in team meetings.
• Incentives and Rewards: Offer tangible rewards such as gift cards, extra time off, or team outings for employees who consistently live the company’s values.

Why It’s Important:

Recognition reinforces the behaviors that align with company values, making it more likely that others will follow suit. When employees feel acknowledged for their actions, they are more motivated to continue embodying core values.

4. Enliven Core Values through Company Culture

Core values should not just be abstract statements printed on a website or displayed on a wall—they should be actively woven into the fabric of the company’s culture.

How to Bring Values to Life:

• Team-building Activities: Organize team-building exercises that are directly linked to core values. For example, a team-building day focused on collaboration could reinforce values like teamwork and communication.
• Leadership Role Modeling: Leaders should consistently demonstrate core values through their actions, as employees tend to follow their lead. Whether it’s showing transparency in communication or demonstrating integrity in decision-making, leadership behavior is crucial.
• Incorporating Values into Daily Operations: Make core values part of regular operations by incorporating them into performance reviews, daily interactions, and meetings.

Why It’s Important:

When values are integrated into the company’s culture, they become part of the way work is done and how relationships are built. Values-driven culture helps create an environment where employees feel supported in their growth and interactions.

5. Implement a Real-Time Peer-to-Peer Recognition System

A peer-to-peer recognition system is a powerful tool for encouraging the continuous practice of core values. This system allows employees to recognize their colleagues in real time for displaying core values in action.

How It Works:

• Digital Platforms: Implement digital platforms (such as an internal Slack channel, dedicated app, or software like Bonusly) where employees can send quick, informal praise for living out core values.
• Monthly or Quarterly Recognition Awards: Employees who receive a certain number of peer recognitions can be rewarded or celebrated at the end of each month or quarter.

Why It’s Important:

Peer recognition fosters a sense of community and collaboration, encouraging everyone to embody the company’s values. Additionally, it helps reinforce a positive culture where values are continually practiced and celebrated.

6. Make Core Values Visual

One of the best ways to put core values into practice is by making them visually present throughout the workplace. This is a constant, subtle reminder for employees to stay aligned with the company’s principles.

Ideas for Visualizing Core Values:

• Interactive Displays: Create an interactive wall or digital display where employees can contribute examples of how they’ve seen the values in action, which keeps values fresh and relatable.
• Core Value Collages: Encourage employees to contribute photos, quotes, or stories that represent each of the core values, creating a collective visual representation of the values in the office.

Why It’s Important:

When values are made visible in creative and interactive ways, they become more tangible to employees. This boosts their relevance and serves as a daily reminder of the behaviors that are encouraged.

7. Use Core Values to Resolve Conflicts

Interpersonal conflict is inevitable in any workplace, but core values can serve as a neutral tool for resolving disputes and fostering a cooperative environment.

How to Use Values in Conflict Resolution:

• Frame Disputes Around Values: When conflicts arise, help employees view the situation through the lens of core values. For example, if two employees are in disagreement, encourage them to focus on values like respect, collaboration, and honesty to find common ground.
• Mediation Based on Values: Train managers to mediate conflicts using the company’s core values as the foundation for discussions. This ensures resolutions are aligned with organizational culture.

Why It’s Important:

When conflicts are resolved with core values as a guide, employees are more likely to reach a solution that is fair and mutually beneficial. This reduces tension and maintains a positive, value-driven atmosphere in the workplace.

8. Lean on Core Values During Challenges

Core values can provide clarity and direction during times of organizational challenge or crisis. Whether the company is going through a period of financial strain or navigating a sudden change, values can be a stabilizing force.

How to Leverage Values During Challenges:

• Decision-Making: Use core values as a framework for tough decisions, such as budget cuts, layoffs, or restructuring. Ensure that decisions align with the company’s values of fairness, transparency, and respect.
• Communication: Be transparent with employees, explaining how core values are guiding the company through the crisis. This reinforces the commitment to values even in difficult times.

Why It’s Important:

During challenging times, employees need assurance that the organization will remain committed to its values. Leaning on these values helps maintain trust and morale, providing a sense of stability and purpose.

9. Coach Employees Using Core Values

Managers and leaders should use core values as a coaching tool to help employees improve their performance and grow in their roles.

Coaching Strategies:

• Value-Based Feedback: Provide feedback by tying an employee’s performance to specific core values. For example, if an employee shows a lack of collaboration, remind them of the importance of teamwork and how it impacts the organization.
• Personal Development Plans: Use core values to guide employee development. If an employee wants to improve in a particular area, you can direct them to values that will help them grow in that aspect.

Why It’s Important:

Coaching with core values helps employees align their personal goals with organizational objectives. This reinforces the idea that success is not only about individual achievements but about contributing to a value-driven culture.

10. Use Core Values in Hiring Decisions

When hiring new employees, consider whether a candidate’s personal values align with the company’s core values. This ensures a smoother cultural fit and higher employee retention.

How to Integrate Core Values into Hiring:

• Behavioral Interviews: Ask candidates how they’ve demonstrated core values in their previous roles. For example, inquire about a time they showed integrity in a difficult situation or worked collaboratively to solve a problem.
• Assess Cultural Fit: Incorporate core values into the assessment of whether a candidate is a good cultural fit for the organization, ensuring they will thrive in your value-driven environment.

Why It’s Important:

Hiring candidates whose values align with your organization’s ensures better long-term compatibility and a more harmonious workplace. It helps to create a team that naturally embodies the company’s values.

Conclusion

How to put core values into practice is a continuous process that requires intentional effort across every level of the organization. By following the strategies outlined in this article—soliciting feedback, recognizing employees, and embedding values into the company’s operations, conflict resolution, and hiring practices—you can create a culture where core values are not just a list of ideals, but a living, breathing part of your organizational DNA. When core values are truly put into practice, they shape the success, resilience, and unity of the company, benefiting both employees and the organization as a whole.