We at Stories Inc. are big believers in the importance of core values. Our own have provided a framework for every aspect of our business, from decision making to how we communicate, to how we grow our business and beyond.
And, we know candidates care about cultural concepts like values when considering new opportunities.
If all you’re doing is listing your values on your site, you are doing both candidates and your culture a disservice. Saying Innovation is one of your values, with no proof to back it up, means nothing to candidates. Worse, your company is forgotten in the sea of other often-used phrases to describe company culture.
Your cultural content should be:
Stories have been engaging humans since the beginning of our existence. The reason? Human brains are wired to activate much more when consuming stories than other types of information. The result is increased engagement and retention of the information. Sharing stories about how your organization brings your core values to life is much more engaging than just stating what your values are.
Storytelling in communicating your core values establishes authenticity and truth. Most companies have core values—even Enron had “Integrity” as a core value—but in the absence of stories that illustrate each value, the candidate or consumer is left to wonder what exactly you mean. A story can establish trust by providing true examples of how each value is lived inside your company.
Communicating core values is typically done in a very straight-forward way: stating the values, nothing more. But, what makes your workplace great goes much deeper than that. At Stories Inc., we tie the stories we uncover to the more substantive aspects of your culture and brand messaging.
Stories are the best way to share proof of your core values. The Stories Inc. methodology is to capture stories first, connect them to your brand messaging and company culture, and then bring them to life using a variety of media.
Here are some of our favorite examples of communicating core values:
If you’d like to read more about values, here’s a post about when human and organizational values overlap. Or, check out how we brought our values and to life with a team storytelling approach.
Let’s chat about how we can help you communicate core values!
Explore examples of Communicating Core Values in action
