The Mission, Core Values, and Culture Statements unite your team and provide basic principles, objectives and values to guide their actions. These declarations are critical to establishing a productive culture. They help your employees understand the impact of their daily tasks to the overall purpose and objectives of the organization. In turn, this will translate to improved employee engagement and performance.
The Mission Statement defines the purpose of the organization and describes the characteristics that set your organization apart from the rest.
The Core Values support the Mission, shape the culture and reflect the principles of the organization.
The Culture Statement is comparable to a playbook that provides your team with a clear overview of what culture looks like in your organization. It may be in the form of a handbook, a digital deck or a narrative statement. The Culture Statement is a compilation of your organization’s mission, values, traditions and beliefs. It will be used to guide your team in their actions, priorities and decisions.
Company culture must be aligned with all employees. The company culture statement should be introduced to new employees as early as possible, preferably during the on-boarding process. Ongoing training initiatives will ensure that employees remain aligned with the path and purpose of the organization. Some organizations introduce their culture statement to prospective employees during the interview as part of the screening process. It is an effective tool to explain the “why” behind the operations of the organization and to help determine fit.
There are numerous examples in recent events illustrating the pitfalls of operating a business without a carefully constructed culture. Companies are in the spotlight due to poor treatment of their employees, unethical consumer practices and inappropriate behaviors. It is crucial to provide culturally conscious leadership based on your specific mission, set of values and inclusive culture to ensure that your organization is operating as desired. Culture needs to be a permanent agenda item when devising strategy. Cultivation of your established culture requires ongoing attention and resources just like any other strategic initiative.
The mission, core values and culture of your organization must be apparent from front to back. As you walk into your office and throughout each department, is there evidence of the principles, convictions and purpose of your organization? Does your website convey what you represent and hold sacred?
Why is this critical to the success of the organization? Simply put, it will improve performance. Organizations who define themselves through their mission, core values and culture achieve higher levels of success.