How to use internal comms to align employee and organisational values
What happens when company values don’t align with an employee’s?
Values are the lifeblood of an organisation, setting out the way we do things and the principles that guide us. But… what if an employee doesn’t agree? For internal communicators, the challenge of balancing professional integrity with personal beliefs can be tricky, but one that can create positive change.
It’s often a fun part of the job. Bringing to life an organisation’s values, helping employees embed these shared principles into their daily work, can be really inspiring.
As internal communication professionals, we put a lot of imagination and effort into championing values and ensuring people understand them.
But what happens when those values don’t align with an employee’s own? In a diverse, inclusive workplace, is it realistic to expect everyone to share the same beliefs?
Well, this is a challenge to embrace. It might be in our phrasing, language, or the way we communicate those values, but be assured that there’s a lot we can do to help values resonate without asking people to compromise their integrity.
We’re not talking about ethical gulfs of the kind created when a green-minded employee doesn’t like their employer’s questionable environmental practices. That’s a job that falls way out of most internal communicators’ remit.
What we are looking at here is when the company’s stated values – usually expressed together with a vision, a mission, and a purpose – don’t resonate with the people who work in the organisation. Let’s explore some examples so we can identify when this misalignment is happening, and equip ourselves with strategies for turning a rift into a gift.
Personal values vs company values
Company values define how an organisation operates, makes decisions, and interacts with employees, customers, and the wider world. They set the tone for workplace culture.
A strong set of values can give employees a shared purpose, leading to better collaboration and giving businesses a good basis for navigating challenges. That’s why we talk about them so much. When values are clear, realistic and well-embedded, they shape the way people work and contribute to long-term success.
While corporate values define what an organisation stands for, personal values guide how individuals approach their lives and careers. Personal values might include things like honesty, ambition, or creativity, while corporate values often focus on principles such as teamwork, inclusivity, or a client focus.
The main difference is scale – corporate values are designed to be shared, to unify a workforce, while personal values are unique to each person. When there’s a natural fit between the personal and the organisational, it leads to stronger engagement, motivation, and job satisfaction.
When they don’t match, employees can feel disconnected or even disillusioned. Imagine an employee who chose an employer because of its ‘collaboration’ value, but finds it rewards individual achievement over collective ones. Similarly, if someone values integrity and fairness but finds themselves in a workplace that cuts corners, they may struggle to feel like they belong.
What kind of values are important to employees?
Leaders don’t pluck values from the ether. The values usually evolve from the way the organisation operates, the way it sees itself and wants to be seen, the reason it exists, and where it wants to be in the future.
There’s also a hefty amount of work involved in distilling the organisation’s driving principles and desired behaviours into a handful of snappy statements.
Being human, though, means there will always be someone who doesn’t quite see themselves reflected in those values. Once again, we’re not talking about moral dilemmas or corporate wrongdoing – but that feeling of being at odds with company values can still hinder job satisfaction, motivation, and ultimately productivity.
Here are some examples of misalignment between an organisation’s values and the values that are important to employees.
Company value: ‘We’re all entrepreneurs’
Employee disconnect: Being entrepreneurial – taking risks, being highly driven and constantly innovating – may not be suitable or necessary for every role or function.
Company value: ‘We embrace competition'
Employee disconnect: The individual might feel teamwork and mutual support are more important than being competitive.
Company value: ‘We move fast to stay ahead'
Employee disconnect: Someone might believe that speed can compromise thoughtful and considered decision-making, being conscious of the risks of rushing.al might feel teamwork and mutual support are more important than being competitive.
Company value: ‘We innovate constantly'
Employee disconnect: In some contexts an employee might value the tried and tested, especially in fields where consistency is vital.
Company value: ‘The customer comes first'
Employee disconnect: There may be concerns that this comes at the expense of employees’ wellbeing – e.g. long hours, or feeling they’re not listened to.
Company value: ‘We’re inclusive and diverse'
Employee disconnect: Views that a company’s actions are more performative than genuinely meaningful may exist or the interpretation of this value from one employee to another may dilute the sentiment of this value.
How to turn that rift into a gift
It all comes down to communication, of course.
Inviting people to be honest about their views is a great way to test how well organisational values resonate. Are they the right ones? Do they need adjusting? Or do we just need to change the way we talk about them?
Invite and welcome open dialogue around what the values mean and how they look in practice.
For instance, how do employees relate to a value around inclusivity and diversity? Does it resonate with them? Or do they wonder how meaningful it is? A great idea is to involve employees in action groups – taking into account the opinions of as many different colleagues as possible. You could also offer training and comms support for action groups to ensure their messaging hits the spot – as advised by EDI expert Melody Moore in our EDI-focused podcast episode.
Here’s another example. If an organisation explicitly says that ‘the customer always comes first’ then to prevent employees feeling secondary – or that their wellbeing comes at the expense of getting the job done – perhaps policies like overtime pay could help resolve this. Or action groups that show genuine support and care for employees can make it explicitly clear that employees are also a priority. You can also add narratives around a value – in this case, explaining what the ‘customer first’ stance really means a business approach, rather than a hierarchy of importance.
Another important aspect is to acknowledge difference. While values are designed to unite employees, if it’s clear that the organisation understands there are individual viewpoints and beliefs, everyone will feel heard and accepted, ultimately helping to reduce any feeling of resentment.
Similarly, the language used to talk around values should be reassuring. Make clear that even though the values are collective guiding principles, there is still room for individuality.
A final thought
Misaligned values are challenging, but they’re also a chance to learn and improve.
As internal communication professionals, we play a vital role in shaping workplace culture, which includes inspiring and enabling people to be ‘authentic’ and welcoming their honest views.
We get the best outcomes when we’re all aligned on values. By exploring, listening and respecting differences, we might discover we have more in common than we thought.
Insights and Resources
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