Do you have an easy time explaining to candidates and team members what the company does, but not who the company is? It is becoming more important with each generation to know what their true purpose and mission is with their employment. The company mission statement and core values should be at the heart of who is invited to join and stay with your team.

A misalignment can sometimes present itself as:

  • A disengaged or poorly engaged workforce
  • High turn-over
  • The feeling of everyone working hard but not making a lot of progress

With a disengaged workforce, the employees come to work and complete the bare minimum tasks and hours to receive their paycheck. This eventually leads to them moving on to a new opportunity as soon as it is presented, as there is no real meaning attached to their job. Even in environments where team members are working hard, a lack of mission and values can make it feel like everyone is in the boat rowing with maximum effort and wondering why with all this hard work, the boat isn’t moving.

A well-defined mission, and alignment with core values will attract more desirable candidates, increase retention rates, and create an in-sync team all rowing in the same direction with productivity soaring!

Create a very intentional and deliberate time for your team to create the company’s mission statement and core values, and discuss and refine these on an annual basis at minimum. It is ok to change and level up your mission and values as the company grows.

Your mission statement should succinctly describe your reason for being and your particular niche in the market. For example, HumCap’s mission statement is to change our world by helping people, serving customers, and improving our communities by delivering HUMan CAPital excellence every day.

Your core values should define the expected behaviors of all team members. Your entire talent acquisition and retention program should be based on your core values. Team members should be hired, rewarded, promoted, and terminated based on their alignment with company core values. Most companies can train team members on how to complete their job duties, but it is much harder to train “who to be” while at work. Who we are and how we behave directly affects company culture, so define the three to five core values everyone must adhere to in order to be employed with your company, and stick to it. Why only three to five? Because you want every member of your team to be able to quickly memorize and recite your mission and values at all times. If it’s too difficult to remember, it’ll be all that more difficult to implement and measure.

Getting these right creates a sturdy foundation on which the rest of the company can build, with the right people and a common goal. Candidates will be seeking you out. Clients will love working with such a team. Your personal and professional satisfaction will be at an all time high.

If you feel you need an extra push or a helping hand to guide your journey to discovering your company’s true mission and values, give HumCap a call!