How to Bring Purpose and Values into the Workplace (article 2 of 8)
January 22, 2025
by Bijal Choksi, MA, CHPC, PCC and Bonnie Davis
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
This article is part of our series on creating a human-centered workplace, inspired by our Human Factor™ Assessment. This assessment focuses on 7 key areas, each with targeted questions designed to help leaders and organizations foster meaningful conversations about their workplace culture’s strengths and areas for improvement.
Each article offers deeper insights and actionable tips for leaders, helping you transform your Human Factor™ Assessment data into effective, purposeful action.
If you missed our first article, please check it out: Beyond the Buzz: A Practical Guide to Creating a Human-Centered Workplace.
This second article is about the importance of Purpose and Values, and the assessment questions that will help give clarity on this focus area are:
1️⃣ We have an inspiring purpose beyond just making money.
2️⃣ We have clearly defined values and expectations to guide daily decisions and inspire our employees.
3️⃣ We feel our work matters to the organization.
4️⃣ We actively foster an inclusive culture that celebrates diverse personalities, styles, viewpoints, and backgrounds.
5️⃣ We are encouraged to find meaning in our work.
🗝️ Key Takeaway: If you scored lower on the Purpose and Values section of the Human Factor™ Assessment or generally looking for ways to boost your team's culture, this article will give you concrete ideas on what will help.
Why Purpose and Values Matter
Purpose and values are the heartbeat of an organization. In today’s competitive world, employees seek more than a paycheck; they want meaning in their work and to see their organization make a difference. A human-centered workplace gives employees a compelling reason to show up, beyond generating profit. Connecting to a purpose beyond profit transforms work from a task list into a mission.
Purpose is the "why" behind an organization’s existence. An inspiring purpose and clearly defined values help create a culture where employees feel engaged, valued, and motivated. They act as guiding principles that shape what a company does and how it operates. Without purpose and values, organizations risk becoming transactional and failing to inspire or retain employees. People want to feel like part of a bigger mission, not just cogs in a machine.
Revenue and profit are essential, but for a culture to thrive, employees need to feel connected to something bigger. A human-centered workplace fosters belonging and a sense of purpose, which leads to stronger business results.
🗝️ Key Takeaway: Help employees connect to a clear purpose to make their work more meaningful and impactful, boosting job satisfaction and retention.
Examples of Purpose in Action
An organization’s purpose can range from lofty societal goals to smaller-scale missions. Patagonia’s purpose is to "build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis." TOMS shoes’ purpose is "improving lives" by donating a pair of shoes for every pair sold. Smaller organizations can also have impactful purposes, such as "exceeding customers’ expectations," guiding daily work and decisions.
Yet, according to Gallup, only 4 in 10 U.S. employees strongly agree that their company’s mission makes their job feel important. Improving this to 8 in 10 could lead to 41% lower absenteeism, 50% fewer safety incidents, and a 33% improvement in quality.
🗝️ Key Takeaway: Define or revisit your organization’s purpose by asking, “What impact do we want to make that inspires employees and customers?”
The Importance of Values
Values form the foundation of a team’s culture, influencing behaviors and interactions. Companies with well-defined values have 115% higher employee engagement. Values serve as a moral compass and a "North Star" for teams, guiding decisions and behaviors. For example, Chewy’s value of "Customers First" empowers employees to take proactive steps to delight customers, such as proactively sending $25 apology vouchers during delays.
Clearly defined values provide stability and consistency during challenging times. They set the tone for communication, problem-solving, and collaboration, helping teams navigate misunderstandings and maintain respect. Without values, teams may lack direction and cohesiveness, like a boat without a compass.
One Fortune 500 client incorporates values into meetings by starting with a “value share,” reinforcing their importance. When employees’ values align with organizational values, they feel deeper connection and engagement, making work a source of energy rather than exhaustion.
🗝️ Key Takeaway: Clearly define and communicate your organization’s values to guide decisions, onboard employees, and foster a purpose-driven culture.
Why Teams Should Be Inclusive
Inclusion brings purpose and values to life by creating an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. An inclusive culture ensures diverse perspectives contribute meaningfully, fostering a sense of belonging. Diversity drives innovation, better problem-solving, and financial success. Organizations in the top quartile for gender diversity are 25% more likely to outperform financially, and those in the top quartile for ethnic diversity are 36% more likely to do so.
Inclusion isn’t about checking boxes; it’s about fostering a culture where everyone has a seat at the table and feels valued. Valuing diversity means actively seeking different viewpoints, challenging outdated practices, and recognizing multiple valid approaches. Leaders set the tone for inclusivity by ensuring all voices are heard and respected.
Key Takeaway: Foster an inclusive culture by equipping leaders to listen actively, communicate authentically, and value diverse perspectives. Provide training and tools to help leaders model inclusivity.
Addressing Unconscious Bias
Unconscious bias occurs when people make quick judgments based on stereotypes or past experiences. These biases can impact how we treat others, often without realizing it. Addressing bias begins with awareness. Leaders can offer bias-awareness training, standardize decision-making processes, and create a culture of openness and accountability. By minimizing bias, organizations attract top talent and foster an environment where everyone thrives. In fact, 76% of employees and job seekers consider diversity important when evaluating job offers.
🗝️ Key Takeaway: Train leaders to recognize and address unconscious bias, ensuring fairness and consistency in decision-making.
Connecting the Dots: Why Our Work Matters
Employees want to feel their work makes a difference. When they see its impact on customers or stakeholders, they feel engaged and motivated. Gallup research shows that business units with engaged employees outperform those with disengaged staff, leading to 23% higher profitability, 14% greater productivity, and 18% higher sales.
Managers play a pivotal role in helping employees find meaning in their work. Asking what meaningful work looks like for them builds trust, engagement, and commitment.
🗝️ Key Takeaway: Explicitly state why an employee’s role matters and align tasks with what is meaningful to them.
Practical Tips for Connecting Purpose and Values
Write a Purpose Statement: Use this template: “This team’s purpose is to __________ by __________, making a difference for __________.”
Incorporate Purpose-Driven Language: Use purpose-driven examples in communications to reinforce its importance. E.g., “As we continue working on [specific project], let’s keep our purpose in mind: [company purpose].”
Share Stories: Highlight examples of how purpose and values come to life through employees and customers.
Identify Core Values: Define 5-7 values and incorporate them into training, meetings, and communications. Sample values from past clients include: partnering, autonomy, quality, focus on results, family feel, efficiency.
Translate Values to Behaviors: Provide observable examples of how values are reflected in behaviors. E.g., if a key value is “transparency,” observable behaviors might be copying relevant people on emails and communicating AI use, both internally and externally.
Promote Inclusive Practices: Train leaders to listen actively and seek diverse perspectives.
State How My Work Matters: As a leader, explicitly state how a team member’s role and work contributes to the team and organization.
Embracing a Human-Centered Culture
By embracing purpose, values, and inclusivity, organizations can create workplaces where employees feel valued and inspired. A human-centered workplace goes beyond employing people; it motivates them to believe in something bigger, fostering engagement and long-term success.
We would love to read in the comments which of the ideas in this article resonate with you, and how you are implementing changes based on what you've learned about your team after taking our Human Factor™ Assessment.