Everything you need to know about defining your company’s values
Values are fundamental to success in any organisation – they define what’s important, guide decision making, and set the tone for the way employees work together.
But company values aren’t just important internally – they’re also a key factor in a candidate’s decision to apply for a new role.
Here’s how companies can define their values and highlight them in a job ad to attract candidates who are a great fit.
What are values?
A company’s values are the fundamental beliefs upon which a business and its behaviour are based. Values are specific to what an organisation does, they guide the way that people behave but also how they will keep their promises to staff, shareholders or the general public.
Values also set the tone for company culture. Without an understanding and commitment to the values, the team have no roadmap on how to represent the organisation to their peers, stakeholders and external customers.
The values most candidates are looking for
When candidates are looking for a new role, values are very important.
SEEK research reveals that the values that make candidates more likely to apply for a role are: honesty (46%), loyalty (33%), efficiency (25%) and dependability (25%).
While these values have a big impact on candidates, don’t copy them blindly into your job ad. Your values shouldn’t be generic – it's important to have values that represent what your organisation truly stands for.
Defining your company’s values
To start the process of identifying your company’s values, meet with different staff members to talk about the organisation’s core beliefs and what differentiates the business from others. Then you can write value statements in line with how the business operates.
Consulting with employees is paramount. Ask you team to describe your organisation in three words. From this, you can take stock of the words that come up regularly.
Including values in a job ad
By making your company’s values part of a job ad, you immediately let candidates know the core beliefs and principles underlying your organisation’s mission.
Being upfront about values in a job ad is best practice. You could say something like, 'The culture of the organisation is built on the values of honesty, loyalty, efficiency and dependability. Candidates applying for this role need to be able to demonstrate how they have applied these values in other roles and how they'll contribute to them, should they be successful.
Once you have your core values, use them to describe the role, organisational culture or benefits. For example, a job ad for an aged care facility with the core values of ‘dignity’ and ‘respect’ may include a description such as:
You will be responsible for helping with all aspects of personal care, such as personal hygiene, washing and assisting with meals, ensuring that dignity and respect are maintained at all times.
By defining your company values and including these fundamental beliefs about your organisation in a job ad, you’re more likely to attract candidates who are a great fit for your business.